


The Unused Road

by Numinous_Scribe



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: 'rated e for everyone', A lot of humor, Adventure, Gen, Mystery, Some Romance, a healthy dose of sarcasm, a lot of 'i didn't sign up for this', a lot of censored rage, and it's not the main point, i say eventual because it's way later in the story, mentions of drug use and struggles with addiction, more like rated e for emryn amiright?, old memes are brought up, parallels paradoxes and time space continuum shenanigans, references to other fandoms are made, some strong language, vine lives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2019-05-18 19:24:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 112,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14858780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Numinous_Scribe/pseuds/Numinous_Scribe
Summary: The phrase "Ignore it and it will go away" did not apply to Emryn while getting chased by the antagonists of a video game. It also did not apply to the fact that her life had become a mediocre fantasy story, and quite frankly, she needed it to stop.





	1. Kairos; Thirteen After One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our protagonist did not read the terms and conditions.

If Emryn Chae was the kind of person who believed beginnings started out with a simple ‘ _Once Upon A Time’_ ( _which she was not, she’s checked_ ), then she would probably pin hers occurring on a day that was just like any other, in an eighth grade English class no less. Like any good fairy tale beginning ( _which she would never actually live, she’d add, muttering_ ) it would open up with a little bit of hope. And for optimism’s sake it’d be the inspiring kind too, going along the lines of something like this:

Once upon a time, a girl with budding aspirations, a mind that wandered and spun the impossible, and an orange binder full of blank paper discovered a spark of magic held together by a posy of words.

_“Two roads diverged in, and I― I took the one less traveled by, and that made all the difference.”_

It was but one line among many others that were just like it, yet the difference it made was all the same still. She recalled having looked down at her binder then, the words feeding and coaxing the aspiring buds to softly unfurl their delicate petals and begin their bloom, and saw herself as a character waiting at the fork in the road. As naïve as she was at the time, the girl promised herself that she too would take that less traveled road. ( _Years later she’d look back at this moment and scoff at how_ simple _she had been, but she’d never regret making this particular decision― it had provided her with a direction in life after all._ )

Adventure lay ahead and she craved it.

That orange binder ceased to be full of nothing but blank papers, instead coming to revel in the wonders and mysteries that were wrought from a mind that traveled that unused road.

But not every beginning stays happy, and even less so magical. ( _Realistically speaking, she’d interject, Life was as much of a bitch as Karma was known to be. Go figure._ ) For a road that remained less traveled by, it did not necessarily mean it would never meet with one that was more so used, and that naïve girl did what everyone else did in time and grew up. She could not remain lost in her imagination forever― the real world did not allow for magic to remain as is, after all.

Or perhaps it was just that the real world was no match for magic. And if it could not beat it, it would turn everything away from it. Ignorance was often best served in layers― some more blatant than others ―and people were so easily enchanted by something that felt like bliss.

But magic always found a way to linger. ( _She wished it had just stuck to written words._ ) And it would _always_ open an unused path for those willing to travel by it.

( _Why, oh why, couldn’t it just stick to written words?)_

* * *

 

_The walls of the room, just like everything else in this place, were worn and caked with layers of dust and faded paint alike. On certain patches, though, where rays of sunlight glinted through the cracked and warped panes of glass, bits of a painting eagerly revealed themselves._

_A garden of flowers. A memento of permanence. A tribute to someone who loved the flowers they grew and hated to see them wither and die. Though the colors have nearly bled away, the stains they’ve left behind speak of a time when they knew of the vibrancy of reds and the softness of blues. When green was a color that trilled on and on about life, and yellow glowed as bright as the daylight beyond the walls. When it seemed as if the garden was really alive and right there in that room._

_But even painted gardens could die._

_No one in years had bothered to restore the manor, and yet it was apparent by the varying footprints in the dust that it was not a deterrent to tourists and adventure seekers...._

Emryn pulled the pen away from the journal she had been writing in, glancing at the surroundings that she had been attempting to describe before looking back at the words she had written with a funny look. Her handwriting didn’t particularly help her judgement either; a constant stream of change from top to bottom, all of it in cursive, print, and whatever the hybrid inbetween could be called. The passage looked even worse due to the clumsy speed she had jotted everything down at. Combine all of that with the almost wishy-washy tone she had incorporated― it was _supposed_ to be mysterious for crying out loud ―then it just appeared as a pile of garbage to her.

But if there was one thing she had come to finally realize after years of writing, it was that first drafts usually were just a pile of trash. The better stuff tended to come about when revising it into another draft. However, it didn’t prevent her from being critical of it in the moment.

‘ _It’s gotta be the bit just after I say how painted gardens can die. It just sounds so stupid and out of place… A weak transition...,’_ Already her pen was moving towards the words, ready to scribble them out and ink in an idea that went in a different direction.

“Hey, numb nuts!” A half gloved hand appeared in front of her face, the tips of thickly rounded fingers wiggling rapidly and coming dangerously close to skimming across the lenses of her glasses.

“ _Fucking hell!_ ”

Emryn jerked away, glaring at the intruder upon her thoughts. A large dot appeared where she had accidentally stabbed the paper. The dark ink spread fast and managed to blot out a couple words before she removed her hand from the page.

The offender fully slipped into view and grinned in response, thin lips curling triumphantly as large, caramel eyes narrowed in amusement. Whenever Emryn saw her friend Cho smiling, she couldn’t help but imagine she was looking at a monkey that had been messing around with something she shouldn’t have been. ( _And knowing Cho then that may very well have been what she had done before her rude interruption._ ) Even the short and innocent bob of curly black hair couldn’t negate the mischievous curve of her facial features.

“Oh, so you _are_ still in touch with reality,” Cho commented dryly. She tucked her hands into her coat and idled closer. “You know, if you’re not gonna actually stay with the group then we could always just go back down the trail and hit the gift―”

“I told you I’d buy that ridiculous― bordering on _hideous_ ―mug for you _after_ we finished with today’s tour.” Em cut her friend off with an irritated grumble. She shuddered at the memory of the item her friend wanted before continuing. “But if you keep pushing the matter then I won’t buy it at all!”

Removing her glasses, she held them towards the light just to make sure her companion hadn’t really touched them. There was nothing new aside from the oily smudges that had collected at the corners closest to the nose pads. Regardless, she still rubbed at the lenses with the bottom of her shirt. Her squinting glare did not vanish after replacing her glasses.

Cho twirled around, kicking up dust as she went. “Well, I figured that since you were already checked out then the tour was as good as over for you. I just _really_ want that mug! I mean, who wouldn’t want to drink out of a goblin’s head?”

“Uh, literally anyone but you?” She rolled her eyes and shut the journal.

“Well, I mean, you’re technically not wrong.” Cho ceased twirling and gave Em a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows. “I am the only one I know of that has a thing for ugly mugs. Sue me or kinkshame me, whatever you will― but the heart wants what it wants!”

“You’re such a slut for awful mugs.”

“Then that makes you my sugar daddy and enabler since you always buy them for me.”

“You clearly mistake me for someone that’s actually rich then.” Her laugh turned to a groan as she pulled herself off of her perch― a fallen bookshelf that, thankfully, wasn’t rotten through ―and stretched. The shorter girl chortled, still spinning around on her heels.

“Well you’re old enough to be one,” she retorted.

Emryn fixed her friend with a dead stare. “I’m nineteen.”

“Again. _Old_.”

She waved the other girl off and looked around again. It was awfully quiet. The tour group really must have gone off ahead, and Cho, having the shred of decency that all _good_ best friends came with, had come back to get her. Not that she would have particularly minded if they had left her behind. It just felt easier to imagine when she was alone, and even more so while surrounded by the remains of something that had once seen the light of life. The less reality there was to focus on the easier a fantasy flowed. Besides, it wasn’t like she couldn’t find her way back to the lodge on her own if push came to shove.

Cho cleared her throat. “Well, if you’re not going back to the lodge then I’m going to head back to the group. You coming?”

Shoving her journal and pen into the messenger bag at her, side Em nodded, still looking around, though she must have memorized everything about this room a thousand times over. Yet there was nothing she could do to prevent her eyes from wandering greedily from one detail to the next. This was the last place in Britain that the Mystery Haunts Tour Group― a European based tour that explored abandoned sites ―would be visiting before moving on to the next country. Coming on this trip was both something self-indulgent as well as an attempt to invigorate her writing. Travel was a cure all, she had heard. As for Cho… Well, aside from being a travel buddy she had come along for the ugly collectibles… mostly. So far, neither had been disappointed.

At a much slower pace, Emryn idled along after her friend. Though it was time to move on she found it difficult to tear herself away from this place. The stillness of her surroundings _breathed_ an orphic beauty, and she had always been so easily seduced by things that found a way to remain untouched. Being here in this old abandoned house made her feel as if she had been placed in a completely different world. It was such a lucid feeling.

As she moved forward a thin shaft of light suddenly blinded her. Shielding her eyes, the young woman turned towards the source, catching sight of something glinting at the edge of a doorless frame― this leading into a room she had not yet looked into, being distracted enough by the one with gardens painted on the walls that she had barely even noticed this one coming in. She spared a glance at Cho, only to find her companion had already cleared the area.

‘ _Just a quick look,’_ Emryn thought, biting her lip. ‘ _It’s not like it’ll kill her to go back to the group without me.’_

With that in mind she gladly let herself into the room. It was small, with only a long mirror that had a piece missing from the top right corner, a faded, moth eaten stool in front of it, and a grandfather clock that reminded her of a discarded skeleton. White paint, nearly completely peeled off, coated the antique in tandem with a healthy layer of dust. She stepped towards the clock, eyeing the way the sides of it curved in on itself while a cylindrical shaft of wood with wave like engravings protruded from its side in a winding manner. The effect was mimicked back and forth from top to bottom even around the face of the clock. The time was stopped exactly thirteen minutes after one.

A brow curiously lifted its way up her face as she pulled out her phone to take a picture. ‘ _What an interesting time to cease your ticking. I wonder, was it day or night when it happened?’_

She caught the time on her lockscreen and noted with a snort that she was only three minutes away from matching the dead clock. The picture was taken quick and painlessly before she rounded on the mirror.

It struck her as the kind of spot that people would stand in while being fitted into new clothes. Already she could imagine the thick swaths of fabric fanning out, the pleats stretching from where they were gathered at the waist, and the smile the lady of the house would give as she admired her image. Daughters would stand here trying out dresses from suitors and children would fidget while waiting on the stool. Young men straightened their coats and fixed the bows of their ties. This mirror had seen many people, but now it hardly ever received an admirer.

Emryn drew closer to examine the intricate details along the frame. The engravings were similar to those on the clock, wavelike and swirling. She reached out and gingerly felt along the worn wood. Her reflection peered back at her through the cracks and dust in silent, wide eyed awe.

Eyes, dark and grey, yet tinged blue to look like slate, peered back at her through rectangular lenses. There was bruising beneath those eyes that came from nights where sleep abandoned her, but it was something that could be ignored as long as she didn’t get in too close to her reflection. With a free hand she shifted layered hair and parted it more to the right so the bangs were more prominent as they curled around her squarish face. Her gaze honed in on the top of her head where a sizeable portion of her roots sprouted like a dark spring and bled into the fading sunset that had become of the red dye she had used.

Further down she wore a deep, wine colored jacket; it couldn’t close properly, being that it was crossed over itself at the top and held in place by a large button, leaving some of her stomach exposed. The shirt beneath it was thin and black. Her jeans were plain and comfortable and her running shoes had definitely seen better days, and as usual her oversized bag hung at her side. That was Emryn, cute when she was actually feeling it, but mostly plain and tired.

Mostly she enjoyed the anonymity that an appearance like this granted her, but every now and then she couldn’t help but wish to be the kind of person everyone looked for in a crowd.

“Em? Where’d ya go?” Cho’s voice sounded from somewhere far off. The young woman startled out of her reverie, looking away from the mirror with a reply ready on her lips.

“I’m in―”

She paused and glanced back at the mirror, brows furrowing. Did something just move?

“Em?”

She turned back to the mirror and leaned in a little closer. Nothing appeared to be out of place, and the only thing that moved was her. Emryn blinked, pushing up her glasses as she rubbed her eyes. Perhaps she had just moved too fast or got blinded by the light again― her vision acted up and did weird things when that happened, resulting in her having to do a double take on more than just one occasion. Although for a second there she could have sworn the mirror had… _rippled_.

“Come on Em, don’t do this to me. I swear I’ll sock you if you jump out at me again. Just because we’re in an abandoned house…,” Emryn shook her head. First she disorients herself by seeing things in the mirror, then her hearing decides to do a one-eighty by turning the volume down on Cho’s voice ( _with every word she said no less_ )? Maybe it _was_ time to head back to the lodge.

But as she tried to turn away, her knuckles met with the surface of the mirror; it was icy and sent chills racing through her despite being bathed in the light of the sun.

Her body froze.

She stared at the dead clock with eyes opened wide, unable to discern if they should be so in surprise or fear, or even fearful surprise. The clock leered at her with its abstract time, almost as if it were judging her― and what it saw it clearly thought of as pitiful. A deep chime resonated from within the depths of her mind, rattling her so hard she could have sworn her head was vibrating from the force. Through the tumult a voice, a whisper so perfectly clear, weaved its way between each toll of the bell; it was in Emryn’s own voice that she thought, but the thoughts were not her own.

_‘Mirror, mirror on the wall_

_The clock striked the boundary’s fall_

_You who answered the beckon, the call_

_The path has opened, take it, for none, for all.’_

There came a tug and a wave of cold enveloped her hand, the feeling reminiscent of being plunged into frigid water. The sensation climbed higher and higher as it dragged the young woman in even further. Her head met with the cool surface, sliding halfway through without the pain of resistance; she gasped like a shocked fish fresh from the water. Emryn struggled to no avail. Her body still refused to yield to her, instead allowing itself to be pulled even closer to the mirror. Not even her mouth would obey. Within seconds the rest of her fell through the looking glass.

The first thing Emryn was reminded of was the last time she had gone to the beach. Being mid-April at the time then the waters were still icy and stung like pins and needles in a sleepy foot. The waves were larger than herself and churned with an intensity that bordered a fierce behavior. Getting caught in one of those waves was equal parts thrilling as it was frightening.

In this moment, as she spun through liminal space, Emryn felt like she was left to the mercy of those waves once again. Tumbling with no sense of up or down, blinded with no room to breathe, no room to think. The only thing missing from this experience was salt water shooting up her nose and coating the back of her throat with its disgusting taste.

Suddenly the pressure lifted and the cold was replaced with toasty, arid air. She sailed freely before catching the ground with her shoulder, her cheek following up the catch with a fair amount of rug burn. Eventually, awkwardly, she rolled to a stop; glasses missing, body bruised, and the strap of her bag was threatening to strangle her. The ringing in her ears bore an uncanny resemblance to a group of women shrieking and the newfound pain prevented her from so much as straining a single muscle. Groaning, however, was an available option, and Emryn took great advantage of this.

Slowly, Emryn began to peel herself from the floor, blinking blearily at the smosh of reds and greens that were spread across the carpet, her cheek raw and prickling. Everything spun, and for a moment and her stomach lurched threateningly. It calmed as her arms gave out beneath her, planting herself resolutely against the solid floor. The shrill sound still rang ruthlessly in her ears, and as she turned her head she managed to catch sight of a bright flurry disappearing through an open door. Her surroundings quieted along with the incessant ringing that had been plaguing her.

As soon as everything quit spinning she attempted to sit up again. Massaging her shoulder, the young woman oriented herself in the direction she had been so graciously flung from, wondering just what in the hell had happened. She expected to see Cho behind her, questions already forming; had she just endured some kind or seizure, or even just randomly flipped the frick out? It was just one vivid, violent daydream, right?

“Oh no, this is quite truly one vivid, violent reality. Lovely, isn’t it?” An incredibly pale face with bright green eyes shoved its way into her field of vision.

“ _What in the ever loving — !_ ” Emryn screeched, scuttling as far away from the stranger as she possibly could. She hadn’t realized she’d actually been talking outloud! “ _What the — is going on?! Who the — are you?!”_

Her hand instantly hand slapped across her mouth before shifting down to wring her throat. Where did her swear words go? Why couldn’t she say them even though they were so painfully hanging off the tip of her tongue? With panic mingling in an increasing sense of confusion, she tried to say a few more choice words only to find that, with them, her voice still got cut off. There was only minimal comfort in knowing that at least her thoughts remained uncensored.

“Dear oh dear me, you seem to have lost some of your words.” Her gaze, so resolutely fixed on nothing, gravitated towards the stranger and she openly gawked at him. ( _What she could clearly make out, anyways._ ) “And you’ve lost this spectacular pair of seeing glass as well. You must have caught a bad case of _lostness_ if you’ve lost so much already.”

The man shuffled towards her while holding out what vaguely resembled her glasses. Emryn held perfectly still as he crouched in front of her, sticking her glasses on the tip of her nose and pushing them up with a single finger and a crooked smile. Everything about him popped out at her the moment the lenses came into place. From his uneven spring green eyes to the odd blue-pink combo surrounding them, up to the outrageously long eyebrows that sat just above― it was ridiculous but that wasn’t all. Just as out there as his eyebrows were, so was his hair― shockingly orange and even more shocked into curling straight out from his head, giving her the impression that he’d been playing with electricity on more than one occasion. All he was missing was a hat, and then he’d be the complete version of Tim Burton’s…

“Mad Hatter,” she breathed, dumbfounded. But that couldn’t be― he was just one of many fictional characters played by Johnny Depp! ( _Speaking of, this guy bore an uncanny resemblance to the actor, and just acknowledging it caused an uncomfortable shiver to run down her back._ )

The man stood up, backing away just a few paces, his crooked grin only growing wider. To further her disbelief― and to her outright _horror_ ―he spun his body around exactly three times. And the worst part? He never broke eye contact _once._ She knew she had problems seeing things, but not to _this_ extent. How hard had she hit her head?

He finished off the disconcerting greeting with a deep bow, speaking quickly as he moved.

“A hatter that I am. Mad is just another part of what I aim to be. It seems that you know me, but the reverse can’t be said the same you see. I know me and you know you― Or is it that we know me but we don’t know you? In which case I’ve forgotten who was who.”

Emryn clambered to her feet and stumbled away in an attempt to put more distance between herself and the man. “There’s no way― This _can’t_ be happening! It’s just impossible!”

“That’s the most untruest thing to ever untruth.” He tutted, as if he couldn’t believe she’d said that. “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I’m―”

“Possible, yes I know how the _―_ saying goes. As a writer I think about a number of impossible things all throughout the day.” She snapped before he could finish the phrase, edging closer towards incensed at the feeling of being censored yet again. “It doesn’t mean that I actually expect those things to _happen_ . And _this― this_ constitutes as one of those things!”

None of this could possibly be happening to her right now. She couldn’t have fallen through a mirror or ended up in a completely different world just on the other side. Mirrors didn’t just snatch people up and weird, vaguely threatening mantras didn’t just pop into her head while she stared at clocks! Not unless she was the one putting them there! She was no Alice, there was no Wonderland or Underland or _whatever_ this place was supposed to be called, and the impossible was just that― Impossible! Things like magic existed nowhere but in words on pieces of paper, and even that could be shot down by the little things known as science and common sense.

“Hello? Missey?”

Emryn wrung her hands and continued to rationalize her immediate problem, pacing clockwise as she did so.

She was on a tour of abandoned and possibly haunted buildings. If this was somehow apart of it then a little warning of some kind would have been _great_ . After all she hadn’t paid for _this_ . What, were they all just hiding somewhere nearby, watching her freak out like an idiot while having a good laugh as she debated over the true meaning of impossible with a Johnny Depp impersonator-droid- _thing_?

What if someone had spiked her drink when she wasn’t looking? There was that one guy in the group― Alec What’s-his-nuts ―that gave her the uncomfortable chills whenever they made eye contact. He also had this smell about him that suggested he performed certain recreational activities on the side. But even with all his questionable traits he barely ever approached her, and she’d always done her damndest to stay away from him.

Could Cho have possibly done this to get back at her for all the times she pulled a jump scare on her? Somehow this idea sounded worse than the last.

‘ _When I get my hands on her she is so dead!’_

“Hello? Are you alright?” Emryn shrieked as she was brought back to her current situation, batting away the hands rapping on her head. The Hatter Actor blinked rapidly while drawing his arms in close, edging away from her in confusion.

“I’ve gotta get out of here,” she muttered fiercely as she avoided making eye contact with the stranger. Her eyes darted from corner to corner, flitting from the large cross hatched windows to the somewhat smaller table with bolts of fabric piled upon it, onto the half clothed mannequins and past the ruby red curtains that were only partially drawn about midway into the room. Finally her eyes landed on the door and, with hurried strides, she made a move for it. As she did so she dug out her phone from her pocket and dialed Cho’s number with every intent of getting an explanation as to what the hell was going on.

As the dial tone rang she stepped out into a dim stone corridor, surprised to see that the room behind her wasn’t the end of the set she had presumably stumbled onto. Carpet the same color as her coat covered the floor while banners with gold trimmings hung four to five feet apart along the wall. Graceful arches made from a dark wood bridged one side of the hall to the other, each gentle curvature placed after every three banners. Faintly she caught the sound of something metallic clanking and echoing through the hall.

“If I were you I would go back the way I came.” The Hatter Actor called out and Emryn glanced at him over her shoulder, the phone slipping away from her ear. “You won’t be able to get out that way, not without meeting the bloody Big Head.”

‘ _Bloody Big Head equals the Red Queen,_ ’ her brain, as panicky as it was being, needlessly translated that for her. With an irritated flick of her head Em cast off the useless trivia and focused more on the suggestion part of the guy’s comment.

Go back the way she came? What was she supposed to do, just step back into the mirror and pop back into the abandoned mansion? Did the mirror even _work_ as a two way door? What if this was some kind of test? Was everyone else going to be gathered together on the other side ready to yell ‘ _surprise!_ ’ or some other cheesy prank type BS?

Emryn gnawed on her lower lip before glancing at her still ringing phone. Cho wasn’t bothering to pick up; no doubt she really was on the other side of that mirror, laughing it up and getting ready to say that she had officially owned Em at her own game. If that was the case then she was going to have _words_ with her best friend.

Making up her mind, the young woman ended the call and stalked back into the Hatter’s room― or prison, she could say, based off her memory of the movie.

Giving the Hatter Actor a wide berth as she approached, Em folded her arms and cast a skeptical look at the mirror. It was almost identical to the one that was in the abandoned mansion, save that there was not a fragment out of place. It was complete. That alone was strange, but not really the topic to pursue at the moment.

She hedged through her next question with uncertainty. “So what, I just… climb back through it or something?”

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never traveled by mirror.”

For a second Emryn stared hard at the bizarre man that absently fidgeted next to her supposed mode of transport, his airy answer doing nothing whatsoever except making her blood pressure rise. It was getting more and more difficult to tell whether he was just _really_ good at acting, or if he was just seriously delusional the longer she continued to associate with him.

‘ _If something doesn’t start to make sense in the next five seconds it won’t be the Red Queen who’s yelling off with their heads,_ ’ she promised darkly.

It was undoubtedly the worst timing on her part to throw out an ultimatum.

The loud clanking she had faintly caught in the hallway had grown louder, quicker, as if it had just rounded the corner. The Hatter Actor’s attention jerked towards the doorway and his expression quite literally darkened. His eyes shifted and morphed into a harsher, more golden color, while the shadows seemed to draw inwards and create a hollow space around his eyes. It was like watching spring revert into winter and Emryn had never felt so unsettled.

He turned to her with a deep set frown and she automatically stepped back.

“Time’s flying you by, dearie.” Em jumped as his high, cheery voice was replaced with a deep and guttural accent. A pale hand snaked out and latched onto her arm, forcing her to turn and face the mirror. “On with you! Away!”

“But what am I even supposed to _do?!_ ” she protested. It wasn’t like she’d come flying in with an instruction manual on hand! For all she knew this mirror only went one way!

Her heart thudded harshly against her ribs as the maddened man gave her a powerful shove towards the mirror. Em caught the frame and steadied herself, her nose just barely ghosting the cold surface, and her reflection stared back at her in terror.

“Just _go!_ ” the man hissed. “Before the cards―”

The sounds of metal crashing against metal drowned out his words and Emryn, free of his powerful grip, whirled around. Entering the room like ants spilling forth from a hill there came from the door an onslaught of rusted red tin cards more than twice her size and wielding heart tipped spears. Her jaw fell slack as she watched them continue to fill the room, falling in alternating order in a half circle, leaving no room for escape. The moment each card stopped, pointed heart after pointed heart was leveled and aimed to pierce right through one part of her or another.

To her credit Emryn didn’t react as she had when the Hatter Actor had greeted her. At least, that’s how she made it appear on the outside anyways. On the inside she was one irrational threat away from losing the little rational sense she had managed to scrap together.

With an almost audible gulp, she thought, ‘ _If my day gets any worse, I’m asking Hell if they’re having an exchange program with my sanity today.’_

* * *

 

“Now what did I come in here for again?” Cho stood in the middle of the dusty room, glancing over the decór― or the lack thereof, really. All there was to see was a dirty, broken mirror and its moth eaten best friend and dead relative. Not really exciting. If anything the rest of the house was more entertaining.

Still… She had come in here for a reason, hadn’t she?

The young woman cast an accusatory glance at the doorway behind her― or else more commonly what she liked to call ‘God’s-cheat-for-cancelling-Sim’s-action’. It was the only thing that could have possibly made her forget what whim she was trying to complete. ( _She refused to believe she was genuinely a forgetful person. There was just no way the great Cho Bishop could be that simple!_ )

After standing in the barren room a little bit longer in an attempt to jog her memory, Cho gave up with a pout and a sigh. It seemed no matter how much she racked her brain she wasn’t going to remember anything. And as was her policy, if it didn’t come back to her right away then it probably wasn’t that important to begin with.

Cho turned on her heel at the same time she directed her thoughts to something of superior importance. With an impish grin the young woman began to hum gleefully as she left the dusty old room.

“ _Goblin mugs~ Goblin mugs~ All for me! Goblin mugs~._ ”

Her cackles echoed merrily through the abandoned mansion before the silence swallowed them whole.

* * *

 

_Kairos: The perfect, delicate, crucial moment;_

_the fleeting rightness of time_

_and place_

_which creates the opportune atmosphere_

_For action, movement or_

_Words_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Honestly I never understood the point of these things because clearly I don't own any major franchises, but whatever. I'll say this once and one time only, any disclaimers hereafter will only be for references to songs or other obscure things. I do not own Kingdom Hearts or anything else in the Square Enix/Disney industry. I also do not own the quote at the beginning of the story. That belongs to Robert Frost and his poem "The Road Not Taken".
> 
> I'm cross-posting this from ff.net as well. I'll be updating there first, and then here. I'm gonna try and maintain a twice a month schedule as well. Reviews/ConCrit are very much welcomed! (Also, it's my first time using ao3 outside of reading, so if anything looks funky, I apologize. I'll get the hang of it eventually.)


	2. Now Would Be A Good Time To Be Anyone But Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our protagonist shouldn't have said that.

In the time since she’d been arrested by the card guards, Emryn thought up two conceivable options to describe her current situation, and as such managed to convince herself those were the only reasons any of this could even be happening. 

Her first choice, right off the bat, was that she had finally gone off the deep end and was now spiraling through some hallucinatory abyss. This particular hallucination was leading her towards what could only be safely assumed as certain death, but hey, she’d probably just skip right into another scenario before she died, right? The alternative option was that she’d hit her head hard enough to send herself to Snoozeville, and right now she was having one hell of a dream. 

Neither option held much appeal, but they were the only things standing between her and a full blown melt down, so Emryn was taking what she could get. Personally, though, she thought believing this was all a dream made for an easier pill to swallow.

As her own personal entourage of living cards escorted her away from the Hatter’s hatting room and through the halls of Salazan Grum, Emryn took the liberty of observing her surroundings. ( _ If this was just a dream then why not indulge herself? She might come out of it with something story worthy. _ ) Grey eyes flicked from item to item, attempting to capture it all at once since the probability of the cards allowing her to loiter about was a sad percentage of nil. This wasn’t like the Mystery Haunts Tour, where she could hang back and the whole group would forget about her and move on. But like the Mystery Haunts Tour, Emryn had been captivated by her surroundings. The mansion she had been exploring before couldn’t hold a candle to an actual castle.

As she was ushered down hallway after hallway, it became obvious what motifs the Queen of Hearts preferred. Thin, velvet red carpets lined cloudy grey stone floors whilst deep garnet colored drapes clogged the banisters, puffed out with an air of lazy regalness that was meant to take up space. There were hardly any portraits yet plenty of oddly disfigured busts, and somewhere, no matter how hidden, there was always a heart. Whenever there wasn’t a window to allow for natural lighting there were shaded candles to cast an off yellow glow. More often than not her surroundings appeared gothic, and combined with the silence― if she were to ignore the harsh metallic ringing of the tin cards ―then the melancholy could be felt in the air, almost as if it were something tangible. If the castle were a sentient being, then it was truly an unhappy one.

So great was this darkness in the castle, that, at times, Emryn’s eyes played tricks on her.

The group was moving along quickly, and in the midst of trying to take everything in at once, blur points were created. This kind of thing happened to Emryn often enough that she’d learn to work around it, but after what happened the last time― No, she didn’t even want to  _ think  _ about that trip to dreamland via the mirror. Yet every time Em caught sight of something moving in those blur points she found it impossible to ignore.

Between the cards she would see black spots skittering from one shadowy alcove between the drapes to the next; occasionally those spots would come with eyes, eyes which casted the same off-golden glow as the lanterns that lit the hall. Every time she so much as caught a glimpse of them they would disappear, and as a result she would question if she’d even seen them at all. But every time she did see them she couldn’t help but fall under the impression that they were following her little procession.

Something about those shadows set off an array of warning bells in her mind. They weren’t quite the ‘ _ Time-to-Panic’  _ kind of warning bells, but there was still a dangerous kind of familiarity that accompanied them. Like she actually  _ knew _ what those shadows were, yet was unable to remember their name or accept them as what she was really seeing. Though for the life of her she couldn’t recall there ever being any creepy shadow creatures in Alice in Wonderland, even for Tim Burton’s version. With a thought like that in mind an itch of unease was formed and Emryn was unable to ignore her present situation any longer.

As the hallways seemed to stretch on Emryn felt as if she were being pulled backwards, no more capable of reaching her destination than a cartoon character that had been running forward only to return to the start because something had been holding them down. It was a nauseating sensation, which was odd in the sense that she never really  _ felt  _ in dreams. It was always… muted. Of course fear seemed to be an exception, finding a way to worm itself in whenever she was trying to run away ( _ though clearly she wasn’t doing any of that now _ ). Her legs would act as if they’d been strapped down with weights and each step was another step taken through thick sludge; the stress was potent. The only thing capable of moving quickly was her heartbeat.

It was as if both her body and this dream world knew she didn’t belong here.

That combination was sickening to Emryn. Despite the fact that everything happening  _ around _ her was moving along at a faster rate, that illness was slow and painful and  _ very _ present. Her cool façade wasn’t going to be sticking around much longer if she couldn’t pull herself together.

‘ _ All because of some stupid shadows that may not actually be there.’  _ Em cursed her eyes for seeing things that weren’t there yet again. Be it a dream or a hallucination, she wasn’t going to let it run this show― not while she was still lucid about it.

‘ _ That’s right, if I’m lucid in a dream then I have the power to direct it the way I want. So really there’s nothing to be afraid of. And if it bothers me that much I can just will the creepy stuff away. Even force myself awake if I have to. Nothing to it.’ _

Oh rationalized sense, what would she do without you?

Gradually, the corridors opened up and became a foyer. The room was grand; the drapery was heavier but more sparse so light from outside could reach more of the interior, and the carpets― though well trod ―appeared smooth and almost silky in texture to the naked eye. The stone walls rose higher, darkening with shadow and giving way to beautiful mahogany arches. The windows were made of a warped glass and framed with lattice work, giving the room a quaint touch that yet somehow failed to warm it. But the door, polished and detailed with the trademark heart right down to the shiny gold handles, was the most attention demanding royalty of everything― and Emryn wasn’t the only one heading straight for it.

She almost stumbled when she caught sight of a blurry shadow slipping beneath the door. Despite the difference in scenery there hadn’t been too much sensory information to trigger a blur point that time.

‘ _ Nope. Not real. Not happening. Nothing creepy in this dream today, Satan. I’ll escape with my sanity yet!’  _ Despite her own attempts to reassure herself, the panic still found a way to creep in.

That large, towering door opened, and without so much as even a tour guide introduction the young woman was shepherded right through them. 

Through the cards Emryn spied vivid greens and blobbish greys lining the fringe of the carpet― frogs and tuna. Butlers and attendants. Because for some reason the Red Queen thought they made good employees. They were still and unseeing as statues in a garden while in the presence of Her Royal Majesty, always afraid that even moving a centimeter from their designated space would inconvenience the queen to the point of angering her, and thus costing them their lives. Yet as Emryn passed them by, the hairs on the back of her neck rose and she knew they had seen her, were  _ watching _ her. She imagined the beady yellow eyes of the frogs twitching from side to side while the dull eyes of the fish never blinked, never left her. 

They had probably seen many people enter the throne room the way she had just now, and they had seen even more leave in less desirable ways.

It made her skin crawl.

‘ _ Keep your head girl, you never actually die in dreams― you just tend to be overdramatic.’ _ She desperately scrambled for some stability. _ ‘A plan of action has to be made or else you’re screwed, got that? Are you gonna stay on the Queen’s good side or dig your own grave and piss her off? Staying on the good side equals not dying, appealing to the natural bitch equals, yes, dying. Although dying will more than likely get you to either A, wake up, or B, change dream sequences. Which would―!’ _

Emryn tuned in to reality just before smacking face first into a card soldier. While she stumbled backwards with gongs ringing in her ears the poor guy she hit went forward and landed as if he’d been assigned the role of the cannon in Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and wanted to make sure  _ everyone  _ knew it. To make matters worse, he wasn’t the only card to go down; before she could regain control of her balance Em knocked into the cards behind her, who in turn reached out for support from those in front of them, only to drag everyone down with the ship. 

Em looked around with wide eyes, thinking, ‘ _ Hello? Customer Service? I didn’t order this scene and I’d like to return it please.’ _

“That’s her your highness! That’s the stranger that used the looking glass path!” A shrill voice drew Em’s attention towards the front of the room, and with little to no self control she cringed. That would be one large order of mind soap with a side of eye gouging to go please, she was gonna need it before she woke up.

With a lidded gaze Emryn beheld a red and gold accented monstrosity that bore the results of terrible makeup decisions, life decisions, and a strong need to fire her hairstylist. She would have also called the other woman’s bulging rear end the byproduct of a severe allergic reaction to the world’s largest bee, but the memory of the Queen’s abnormally-proportioned-body-parts troupe ( _ made of plastic craft and petty desires to suck up to Her Royal Inferiority Complex-edness, not to be played with by children ages three and under)  _ barely kept her from making a comment out loud.

“This ugly little toad?” Emryn frowned at both the increase in shouting as well as the insult, turning to look at the Queen of Hearts. “ _ You _ broke  _ my _ law and used a looking glass for travel? In  _ my _ castle? Did my prissy little sissy send you?” 

The Queen then gasped and Emryn could pinpoint the exact moment the woman jumped to an unreasonable conclusion with a nearly painful kind of clarity. 

“ _ Are you here to kill me?! _ ”

Despite the irritating fly like quality the Queen’s voice had taken on, Emryn found it impossible to focus on the words coming out of her mouth. It was a little unsettling how strong of a resemblance the dream version of the Red Queen actually bore to her actress, Helena Bonham Carter. Clarity wasn’t always a strong suit in her dreams when it came to seeing other people. Sure, she could recognize a celebrity or fictional character, but actually being able to pick out specific details? That was like one in every couple hundred dreams kind of luck for her. ( _ Apparently that made this death sentence one in every couple hundred dreams. Yay her.) _

Yet despite the uncanny resemblance there was something notably different about this woman compared to her actress counterpart, but for the life of her she could place her finger on what it was. Could it have been the cheekbones? They did seem quite pronounced, like she’d put apples inside her face and claimed it was what all the cool kids were doing. Maybe it was her eyes? They appeared beadier, something that came from being suspicious of everything and everyone around you for years on end. Or could it have been the large head itself? It was far more realistic in appearance despite its size, no trace of CGI was obvious, at least.

“Are you deaf? Answer me!” The Queen had stood up then and Emryn hastily shoved aside the mythbuster within and scrabbled for an answer.

“I, uh… I plead the Fifth?”

Oh lord, this bitch was gonna die―  _ yEET! _

The Red Queen stopped short of whatever she intended to scream next, a sour look puckering her face. “You what?”

Emryn had always imagined herself as the kind of person that could handle an interrogative atmosphere, prided herself on it even, but it was just one of many happy delusions. The actuality of it brought her closer to that one scene in Goonies where Chunk took confessing everything he had done way too literally. Right now she was one finger away from getting blended before she’d be fessing up and rambling to the Queen of Hearts like the woman was her freaking therapist.

“I, uh, um… I plead the Fifth? It’s this thing― this right! This right that I, a citizen― which I most definitely am ―have and can use if I don’t want to incriminate myself.” Oh wow, things that she never thought she’d have to explain in a dream: Human rights and the Fifth Amendment. What was next, arguing with Nasa about reinstating Pluto as a planet?

The Queen turned to her hideous monkey in waiting, her tart expression deepening. “The Fifth? Have I ever made such a law?” Without waiting for a response she whirled around to face Emryn again. “I’ve never made a ridiculous law, everyone knows that! Now I demand to know who you are and what you are doing in  _ my _ castle!”

‘ _ Oh man abort mission. Abort mission!’ _

That roughly translated to, ‘ _ Make things worse! Make things worse! _ ’, naturally.

Before Em could stop herself from falling back on her default defense she was waving her hand in front of herself, blurting, “I am not the droid you are looking for!”

Her Royal Big Headed-ness was perhaps three seconds away from exploding.

“ _ Droid?!  _ What droid? I wasn’t looking for a droid! I wanted answers! And you aren’t giving them to me you- you nonsense speaking imbecile! _ Now tell me the truth this instant!” _

This was definitely not how she thought she’d appeal to the natural bitch in the Queen. Alternatively, this was not the option she thought she’d go for when it came to that so called plan of action for getting herself to wake up. The way things were shaping out to be then the chance for peaceful communication had long gone.

The cards had managed to get back on their feet again and Em became acutely aware of the possibility of being impaled then and there. Sweat gathered quickly along the fringe of her hairline; she felt it every time her shirt shifted across her lower back; the worst of it was in her armpits, always her armpits. The young woman briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, knowing that whatever she did next would ensure that the Queen would get to watch a beheading at her tea time.

It was in this dark hour that the words of Jack Whitehall, sardonic of a comedian as ever, floated through her mind: “ _ Get it wrong, gotta be strong _ .” Emryn conceded that it was as good of a plan as any if she ever wanted to get out of this dream. She messed up so she was damn well committing to it now. Hell was already preparing for her arrival, so at this point it was either go big or go home.

So, folding her arms and settling her weight on one side so her hips spelled out her attitude, Emryn braced herself for the tantrum of a lifetime with a roll of her eyes. ( _ This. This was her false bravado she had needed moments before. Where the hell had this been?! _ )

“You know what, ― it. You’re just gonna kill me to sate that inferiority complex you brandish at everyone anyways. Not like this was going to be a reasonable trial in the first place. No wonder your sister was chosen to succeed the throne over you.”

Her last words hung in the air like the popping sounds that warned of an imminent strike of lightning. The young woman swallowed hard, but refused to break eye contact with the tyrant before her.

Unbeknownst to Emryn, who had completely tuned out her surroundings in favor of antagonizing the Red Queen, a rather distressing happening had begun to take place. Attracted to the tension in the air, to the anger boiling in the blood of one and the overworked fear in the pits of many hearts, a darkness from the blank points gathered itself together. The shadows that had flitted from one dark spot to the next in the halls now zipped unnoticed across the throne room floor. All the while what had gathered lay in wait within the Queen’s own shadow.

And it readily erupted in unison with Her Majesty’s discordant words.

“ _ Off! With! Her! Head!” _

The mad woman pointed furiously at Emryn with a ring laden finger, hooked and gnarled like a claw. A stray glint of light cast a demented energy in the woman’s eyes that was magnified by the puce shade blooming across her face. From behind the Queen an inky pool slithered up the lavish throne and shot into the air. It’s arrival created a massive gale that sent many flying away from the steps of the throne. Emryn shielded her face with a gasp as she went careening backwards.

For the second time that day Em got intimate with the floor.

She somersaulted away from the throne more violently than a tumbleweed crossing the road at high speeds, only just barely managing to snag her hand on the fringe of the carpet. Squinting against the wind, Em looked up.

Behind the Red Queen was a goliath sized Black Knight, yellow orbs glowing vehemently at her between the slits of its helmet. Thick tendrils of fabric floated menacingly from every crack and crevice of its sharp, obsidian armor, whipping through the air like feelers on a blind predator. At the knight’s side was an ornate glaive. Emblazoned red on its chest plate was a heart crossed with thorns.

‘ _ Hello? Customer Service?!’ _ The panic she had swallowed down only seconds before was resurfacing again. ‘ _ This is not the big bang I had in mind!’ _

“ _ Off with it! Off with her head! _ ” the Queen repeated shrilly, oblivious to the beast behind her.

The winds died down as the creature slowly raised the glaive and centered its aim on Emryn. Like heading the call of a trumpet the cavalry the Black Knight had brought along sprang forth from where they lurked. Emryn’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head as she finally caught a full view of the shadows she had been seeing.

Emryn scrambled up, glancing around her wildly as her window of opportunity for escape began to narrow. Little and almost cute looking shadow creatures popped up from the floor before melding into it again to zip in a little closer. The nagging sensation that she knew what the dark things were from before turned into a bullet train of recognition, and it put Emryn at quite the loss. The fact that they were even here,  _ in her dream _ , was confounding to her. 

‘ _ Heartless? In my dream? Apparently it’s more likely than I thought.’ _ Em dropped her guard and gave a particular little devil hedging closer to her a confused look. ‘ _ Why Heartless and Alice in Wonderland at the same time though? I never get cross fandom dreams! And I haven’t even been on a KH hype as of―!’ _

The Shadow that had been testing the waters took advantage of her distraction, scurrying closer with its claws poised for striking. Emryn came back to reality with a shriek and a hiss as it raked sharp nails across her right shin, cutting it close to hitting her knee. She jumped away from it, casting a quick glance at the new hole in her pants; the jeans were slashed from seam to seam, the edges quickly dampening with an ugly shade of red, the cut itself tingling and smarting.

She was injured. She had  _ felt _ that. She  _ never _ ―

The young woman inhaled sharply, clumsily dancing away as another Shadow attempted to make a repeat of the previous attack. Around her similar battles were being waged and lost as cards, frogs, and tuna all struggled to deal with the rising army of Heartless. Em looked around desperately for something to fend off the little beasts. What she really needed was a keyblade, but with as crappy as her luck had been thus far in the dream then the chances of her subconscious providing her with one was at an all time low, and that was even with her being lucid.

Em dodged another Heartless and stumbled into a pillar, her leg aching. She panted, wanting to know  _ why _ she was feeling pain, yet couldn’t even begin to fathom an answer. 

Before she knew it they had surrounded her yet again. A pair leapt at her from either side and she propelled herself off the pillar with an abrupt shove. Her hasty action and desperation to get away costed her and she collided with a shadow that had jumped at her head on. 

“ _ Akjlsv!” _ She struggled to pry the thing away from her face. More hopped on her back, onto her legs and between her feet, clambering for a spot to hold her down. Within seconds the little mob had her swarmed. 

Something thin circled around her right ankle before suddenly tightening. Emryn yelped as she felt her legs fly out from underneath her, and the world rotated. She hit the ground wheezing while spots danced like crazy across her vision. The line on her ankle grew taut with another sharp tug. The Shadows leapt off of her just as quick as they had pounced on, and she began sliding forward.

Desperately, Emryn struggled to latch onto the carpet again, but the more speed she gained the likelihood of grabbing something gave way to obtaining rug burn hot enough to start a fire. Her bag slipped over her head and quickly fell behind before it could be stopped. Without any warning she caught the first step leading to the throne with her head as she was yanked upwards. 

The moment slowed as she dangled high above the ground, slowly spinning around, her vision wavering with every throb that pulsed through her skull. There was pain. There was death. Its presence was everywhere. Was she going to end up a part of it after all? Was this really what her dream was going to amount to? Death had only been okay when she had believed it would wake her up. Where had that belief gone now? 

A heavily lidded gaze met the cold glow behind the dark helmet. The room stopped moving. Dimly she registered the Black Knight gripping the shaft of his weapon with both hands, one of the life like ribbons attached to it suspending her at just the right height. Below her the Red Queen gazed upwards with a veiled, self satisfied expression― like a child that had broken rules just to get things her way. And very soon she would have exactly what she wanted: Emryn’s head at her feet.

What an unlucky dream.

( _ What a surreal nightmare. _ )

Emryn closed her eyes and prayed to wake up, still on the Mystery Haunts Tour, still in the midst of writing about the painted garden. Cho would barge in at any moment and drag her to the gift shop back at the lodge. They’d spend a good hour debating which cup was truly the ugliest, and after much pleading and moaning she would cave and buy it for her friend. They’d get food, watch “ _ Mrs. Brown’s Boys” _ while staying up well into the night talking about their latest ocs, and when the drowsiness would become too much to handle they’d fall asleep in the least dignified mess together. At the end this dream would be no more than a fleeting memory.

‘ _ Please, just wake up already… _ ’

The Queen opened her mouth with a sharp breath and Emryn tensed in wait for her repetitive command. The Black Knight’s armor clicked softly as its grip tightened on the glaive. Something  _ else _ hissed through the air.

Em cracked an eye just as a blazing blur streaked by, the heat radiating from it threatening enough to possibly singe more than just her eyebrows. It was gone just as quick though and suddenly she was no longer just dangling, but  _ falling _ . Her scream was choked away as she plummeted head first towards the ground. 

Something firm, but not as solid as a concrete floor, halted her descent. Well toned muscles flexed beneath the padded material while strong arms held her bridal style. When she took a chance and fully opened her eyes all she could make out was black, though the smell of leather and smoke was pungent. She and whoever was now piloting this trainwreck of a dream zipped away from the executioner’s alter. 

Seconds later she was lowered to the ground, shaking and reeling. Unable to support her weight, her legs gave out and she slumped against the pillar.

“Man, you really made a mess of things.” Emryn’s head snapped up at the sound of cloaked person’s disgruntled words. The man wore his hood in this instance, but even so there were other distinguishable features to identify him with. Broad shoulders were complimented with a prominent chest and long arms, and a sharply defined waistline gave way to gratifying hips― this guy was unmistakable by his own rights. Quickly piecing in her other context clues only further proved the guess she had made.

Axel rubbed the back of his head, his free hand resting on his hip in a gesture of dissatisfaction. “Guess this turned into a yucky job after all,” he muttered. Louder he added, “I wouldn’t stick around if I were you. Then again what do I care? You seemed pretty intent on losing your head anyway.”

Emryn remained in a dumbfounded stupor as the flame wielding Organization member saluted her and disappeared.

Alice in Wonderland. Heartless.  _ Axel. _ What kind of message was her subconscious trying to tell her  _ now?! _ That she wanted to live out some  _ cliché _ ,  _ damsel in distress _ ,  _ fanfiction-esque _ adventure?

When she woke up she was going to have a serious discussion with herself about her priorities.

Eventually, Em pulled herself from the foggy train of thought encompassing her mind. She peered around the pillar to gauge the situation. The Queen of Hearts was nowhere to be seen but the Black Knight still remained near the throne, its attention stolen by a shadow tinged with fire. A single glance elsewhere revealed Heartless causing havoc among the staff. She spotted the monkey in waiting that had ratted her out just before she went down screaming. And then there was herself, still stuck trying figure everything out.

‘ _ This dream is a fucking mess. _ ’ Emryn ducked out of sight. The pounding in the back of her head agreed. 

What she needed to do was wake up, but if anything that had just happened proved anything, it was that she wouldn’t be getting her way any time soon. The best course of action would be to do as Axel told her and get out of dodge. But if she were to put herself in plain sight of that  _ thing _ again then she had little doubt that it wouldn’t not try to behead her again. Despite having been saved the first time she wasn’t so certain dream Axel would save her again. He’d made it pretty clear that he didn’t have to the first time.

Gradually she pulled herself off the ground, grey eyes searching for something that would work as both a weapon and a crutch. A few feet in front of her lay a discarded heart tipped spear, the guard it had belonged to nowhere to be found. Em reached for it with a wince. 

A dark spot circled the opposing pillar and rose up. The Shadow stared at her and she at it, her fingers within touching distance of the weapon. The stare off lasted only a few seconds but as soon as that Heartless so much as twitched in her direction she had snatched the spear from the ground and taken aim. With a sharp, uncoordinated jerk of her hand the spear sliced through the creature and it dissipated in a puff. 

Little good that really did though. She knew that only a keyblade was capable of actually preventing them from regenerating, but obviously she was just gonna have to make do without. Unfortunately, killing a Heartless applied the same logic as cutting off a hydra’s head. Get rid of one and two more shall appear. 

“Don’t you guys have other things to do? People to steal hearts from? Stuff like that?” she huffed accusingly as she swatted through another Heartless. The longer this carried on the more exhausting it became to hold onto this weapon. It was long and unusually heavy, and only growing weightier the longer she held onto it. To make matters worse, gravity seemed to be a rather big fan of shipping her with the floor, despite her adamant show of resistance.

Her eyes pulsed in time to the pain in her head, accentuating the feeling of being slugged with a jackhammer by tenfold. Her limbs grew heavier with every passing second in which her mind stubbornly attempted to shut down. Emryn wasn’t really certain why she was bothering to fight it, or the Heartless. Though she had never been able to do it, if she fell asleep in a dream then she was all the more likely to wake up. Getting out of this nightmare should have been her top priority, so what was stopping her?

‘ _ I should just… close my… eyes…’ _ Her back pressed against the pillar, legs threatening to give out again. The spear lowered slowly as her grip waned. The Shadows converged and prepared to strike.

Silence descended as another powerful gust of wind ripped through the room.

Heavy though they were her eyes snapped open in confusion. Where there had been Heartless there was only an empty courtroom. Em peered around the pillar once again and found… nothing. Just an empty throne.

Her shoulders slumped. Whatever Axel had done to defeat the Black Knight must have triggered either a mass destruction or mass retreat of all the small fry. 

Still, at least she wasn’t dead or anything. But she hadn’t woken up, either.

Emryn forced herself to stand up straight and remove herself from hiding. Her grip on the spear tightened as she grew more aware, using it as a crutch while hobbling out into the open to retrieve her bag. ( _ Her journal was in there, and whether this was a dream or not, she refused to ever leave something so important behind. _ ) 

Now to find a way out of here…

She caught a flicker of movement from the corner of her eye. Craning her head she peered into a dark corner near a cluster of gaudy drapes. There a portal swirled with faint flashes of light. It faded in an out of discernable sight and Emryn got the distinct impression that it was on some sort of timer, and at the end the opening to the Corridor of Darkness would shut. Access to this world would be cut off and she’d effectively be out of an escape route.

Before Emryn realized what she was doing, the spear had fallen with a muted clatter and she was already making her way to the disappearing door. Logic told her she did this because she knew staying here was a bad idea. When she protested against it reason persuaded her she wasn’t done dreaming, no matter how badly she wanted to be. The moment that fact had been accepted Em took the chance and made a pained dash through the dark void.

It swallowed her whole without reservation, blinking shut the moment she had passed on to the other side.

Pain shot up her leg as soon as she touched down on the pathway. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes and she gasped fitfully. The cut from the Heartless  _ burned _ .

“ _ Ffff-uuu-rriick! ‘Od ― mother ― son of a fat lady’s parakeet! _ ” Emryn doubled over, clutching the wound as she swore her way around the odd dream censorship. She barely saw the dark, smoke like substance seeping between her fingers as she cried.

She didn’t spend long trying to get over the pain, taking a deep breath before righting herself and drying her eyes. Staying here wasn’t exactly a bright idea. If she recalled correctly something happened to people that didn’t have some sort of protection against the darkness. But as for how to get out of here, she was clueless. Axel was nowhere in sight, and quite frankly she wasn’t certain what to do  _ should  _ she encounter him again. There was a lot of doubt that he would help her again, that much she could say she knew.

Em looked at the wall, wondering just how exactly a door was made to connect the Corridor to another world. ‘ _ Do they just wave their hands or think really hard about where they want to go? Is the force involved somehow? I mean, KH was made before Star Wars became a Disney franchise, but still. It could work, couldn’t it?’ _

With sluggish effort Em raised her hand and waved it at the swirling purple wall. Nothing happened so she tried again, this time thinking about a specific place.

The first thing that came to mind was her grandparents house. A twenty year old family home at its most worn out on the first level, with an incomplete basement that burned like hell during the summers and froze over worse during the winters. It was a common setting in which her dreams would take place in. Although generally that setting usually wound up turning into the nightmare playground for Jurassic Park zombie au’s. ( _ She never could figure out why that was… _ )

Her mind drifted away, hand unconsciously lowering to her side once again, as another idea came to mind. If she was having a crossover dream then maybe she’d be better off trying to get into another KH world. Somewhere calm where she could actually think things over. Destiny Islands or Twilight Town― either of those would be more than fine.

Now if she could just figure out out to open another door to get to one of those places…

“How did you get in here?”

Emryn yelped, whirling around to face the owner of the smooth yet cold voice.

Now that he was in the safety of the Dark Corridor, Axel had removed his hood, revealing shocking red hair and a relatively blank expression. Despite the gloom of the area his eyes glowed bright with suspicion. 

“Same as you. I just,” she cast a languid wave over her shoulder, “walked through the door.”

“Of course you did.” Axel crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a critical once over. “And I suppose you have some sort of darkness repellent on ya too, don’t you? Any normal person would instantly turn into a Heartless otherwise. And here I was thinking you were a defenseless damsel with a death wish.”

She ignored the bait― not that she had an excuse to give him anyways ―and stepped closer to the man. Axel’s guard became more visible as he stiffened. Em stopped moving before she accidentally made things escalate again. Axel may have been a sweetheart in Days, but that was with Roxas and Xion only. Anything he did outside of his interactions with those two was a front meant to distract others. 

She placed her hands together and pointed them at him before speaking her part. “Look, I know you’re probably going to RTC right now― No, wait, unless you’re going to meet Roxas at Twilight Town? Are you guys doing that after your missions yet? Actually, yeah that’s perfect. If you could just open a door somewhere there and let me out then I’ll be out of your hair and… and… 

“Wow I’ve never seen such amazing quality in the contrast between your eyes and hair. It’s very…”

Em didn’t fully understand where she was going with this. One second she was trying to convince Axel to drop her off in Twilight Town, the next she was pitching a curveball by admiring his features. Her head was muddled and hurt from the smacking around it had received and her leg was on fire. Nothing was making sense anymore. Not the pain, not the theme of this dream or the sudden increase of pressure. Not even the coming and going of her lucidness.

Like a rubber band snapping back, Em’s attention span returned to the original subject. “So if you could just drop me off anywhere that’s not dangerous or the Castle That Never Was then that’d be great.”

She gave him an expectant stare ( _ she thought anyways) _ , willing this dream version of Axel to at least be compliant with this request. 

His sharp eyes narrowed. It caused their vibrancy to dim dangerously as he continued  to assess her, his lips pressing together firmly in a thin line. The way he looked at her was anything but a sign of a friendly dream helper.

“You seem to know an awful lot about other worlds,” he began slowly. Even in her increasing stupor Em recognized that this was  _ not _ a direction she wanted this conversation to go in. “Just who are you?”

If she wasn’t careful she might end up botching this conversation worse than she had with the Queen of Hearts. Her mouth, however, felt the need to disregard the warning bells and continue its running streak.

“If you haven’t already noticed, I know about more than just the fact that there are multiple worlds. Like, say, I know about you for instance,  _ Lea _ .”

‘ _ What did I just tell you to do?! _ ’ she immediately screamed at herself. ‘ _ When? When will you learn that your actions have consequences?! Just ‘cause you’re in a dream doesn’t mean you can run your friggin’ mouth, ya dumbass.’ _

Axel stiffened. The look of dumbfounded surprise would have been priceless if it were on anyone but him in that moment. Now she was certain he was going to finish off what the Black Knight had started and take her head. There was no way she could backpedal from this one now, so the best she could do was pretend she hadn’t just repeated history.

“So about dropping me off in Twilight Town…?” 

Axel said nothing for the next couple of minutes, mulling whatever he considered his possible options in his head. Eventually he fixed her with an unreadable gaze and gave a short, silent nod. Without further prompting the redhead turned on his heel and began walking down the path. Em found his behavior questionable, but with no other choice at hand she was forced to limp after him.

He cut her a side glance once she managed to catch up. For a moment it seemed like he wouldn’t say anything, and then― “You sure you’re equipped to deal with the darkness?”

Em scoffed. “Why, could it be that you’re worried about me?”

“No. You’re just a questionable person.”

“Skepticism noted.”

They both fell silent, Axel no doubt waiting for an answer that Emryn was not-so-subtly trying to avoid. How would she explain this was all just a dream to him anyways? Dreams gave her freebies to certain things. Not many in this one apparently, but they were there.

A black hole opened up a few feet before them. Emryn didn’t waste any time hesitating, wanting to get out of the Dark Corridor as quickly as possible. Any longer and she would become susceptible to collapsing; both her vision and legs were starting to give up on her. 

The moment she emerged on the other side it felt as if a major pressure had been lifted, though it left her more exhausted than ever. Em blinked rapidly as the change in lighting blinded her, but as soon as she could see again a loud groan escaped her. 

She placed both her hands near her mouth, as if in prayer, before turning and pointing them at Axel. “You had one job.”

Said Nobody shrugged noncommittally before moving away from her to address a rather irritated looking Saïx.

Em sighed while glancing around at the Grey Area, just as unimpressed with its appearance now as she had been seeing it in the game. There was a cluster of sofas accompanied by a table on each side and the small Moogle store near the entrance, but aside from that the place was nothing but a bunch of monotonous, negative space. The only splash of color to be seen was found in individual Organization members. Aside from Axel and Saïx there was Xigbar and Demyx utilizing some down time. ( _ Well, Demyx was most likely skimping on work to play his sitar, as per usual. _ ) 

As if sensing eyes on him, the blond wannabe punk looked up from his fiddlings and straight at her. His mouth dropped open without a sound. Emryn, casual as ever, gave him a small wave, as if to say that her being there was totally normal. With much confusion, but not as much realization that he was doing it, Demyx waved back. 

Heated whispering caused her ears to prick and stole her attention away from the baffled teen. With a glance to her left she spied Axel and Saïx bunched together in their natural, gossiping grannies form. Occasionally snippets of their conversation would reach her, along with looks that came with varying degrees of distrust and annoyance. Phrases such as ‘ _ knows things’  _ and ‘ _ wasn’t affected by it’  _ were bandied about by Axel, while his blue haired counterpart hemmed and hawed about how it didn’t justify bringing her here. Emryn was tempted to agree with him on that point.

The argument came to a grinding halt with a single statement, however.

“ _ She called me Lea. _ ”

Emryn quickly looked elsewhere as both of their attention shot towards her. She became acutely aware of both the rise in temperature, which caused her to start perspiring again, and the fact that she had  _ really _ screwed up this time. This was not a situation that could be fixed by a comedian’s sage words.

She tensed as the two Nobodies approached. 

“This way,” Saïx said tersely. He turned on his heel without another word and began striding towards the exit.

“I don’t suppose you’re giving me a tour of the castle?” Emryn wasn’t particularly hopeful that she’d receive a positive answer as she muttered the question, but she was trying her best to make light of the situation.

“What’s there to see? It all looks the same anyways.” Perhaps Axel had thought he was being quiet as he shepherded her along, but Emryn caught the retort and grinned at his snark.

The young woman said nothing else as she was led through the castle. Just as Axel had said, there really wasn’t anything to see. Each hallway was dizzying in the way that they were replicas of the previous one, and the increase of empty space drove her nuts. It was a miracle that they knew where they were going to begin with. But worst of all was the silence. It was so overbearing that Emryn, on more than one occasion, had been tempted to pull her phone out and just start blaring music to chase it away. 

After what felt like an eternity, the trio finally came to a stop outside of a large set of double doors. Without a word Saïx went through them, leaving her with the other tall, dark and scary man for a companion. Axel was hardly what one would consider a comfort in that moment, though. As soon as his colleague disappeared through the doors he leaned against the wall with a sigh and closed his eyes. Emryn, exhausted and with nothing better to do, followed suit.

As soon as her eyes closed the rest of her body began doing everything within its power to shut down. The time in her mind slowed until coherent thoughts turned to mush and connecting them became an increasingly convoluted riddle. Eventually she gave up trying to think, instead pulled into a trance as the slowing beat of her heart lulled her. It felt as if any moment she would drift away, unbound by the laws of both dreams and reality.

‘ _ There will be nothing but darkness for your comfort.’ _

She jerked upright with a gasp for air, as if she had never breathed before.

There it was again. That whispering voice, which sounded eerily like her own, had come back. It came, it went, and in its wake now settled an air of warning. Whatever sleep she had been about to obtain had been dashed to pieces. Emryn shuddered as a tremble took root in her limbs.

Axel shifted. From the corner of her eye she watched him watching her. His face was unreadable, so it was difficult to tell what he thought of her, but his mock complacency couldn’t hide his alertness. 

Before Emryn could think up something to explain herself, the great door opened. Saïx appeared in the gap and fixed her with a cold, hard stare. Though he was looking at her it seemed his words were directed at Axel. She would have been miffed had those words not inflamed the air of warning that still lingered about.

“Lord Xemnas wants to see the girl.  _ Immediately _ .”


	3. Where's the Duct Tape When You Need It?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Emryn accidentally gets a job.

Cho rested her head in one hand, twirling her latest purchase with the other. She absolutely adored mugs. Her collection of them was one that couldn’t be rivaled. Pretty mugs, bizarrely shaped mugs,  _ ugly  _ mugs― she collected them all with a sort of dedication that bordered on religious. What other people called a hoarding problem, she called a passionate hobby. ( _ If people could get away with collecting stamps and coins en masse then what difference did it make if she collected cups?) _

Her obsession with them became apparent around the age of fourteen. For whatever reason imaginable the synapses had lit up in her hormonal,  _ dramatic,  _ angsty teenage brain, deciding that mugs were to be her only solace of happiness in such a cruel world. It amazed her that creative ingenuity had come so far to create something as hideously disfigured as caricaturized goblin heads in the shape of something she could drink from. With an item as powerful as that at her fingertips she had felt as if nothing could stop her from doing whatever she wanted. What wasn’t to love about that?

Yet, for a reason she didn’t fully understand, she just wasn’t feeling that special spark of empowerment with this new mug. 

The cup ceased its endless revolution, coming to a stop with the deformed half facing her. Soft brown eyes traced the outline of the exaggerated face in search of something that would appease her confusing mood. Bushy black brows dipped inwards, forming a cater-brow that overshadowed shiny, lacquered eyes as they squinted accusingly and sharply curved down into the large, hooked nose. One large wart protruded from the middle of the nose. It’s mouth formed a crooked grin, with snaggle toothed teeth a plenty and a bumpy tongue stuck out in jeering delight. 

The shopkeeper had wanted to get rid of this bad boy so badly that Cho had almost been able to purchase it for free. With a steal of a deal like that, there was no way she could refuse. But just as she was about to buy her next mistake then she had been overcome by the feeling, once again, that she had forgotten something. The notion that she had lost something had also been accompanied by the idea that she had been cheated out of a deal of some sort as well, which kind of ticked her off.

Those suspicions had plagued her like an insatiable itch since she had left the gift shop, and quite frankly, she needed it to stop.

Cho’s main policy in life was to avoid complicating it in the first place. As such, this had led her to lead a pretty straightforward, albeit quirky, existence. At the core of it all, Cho lived out the simplicity of the idea the meaning behind her name presented; a butterfly. She was easy going and fun loving, oriented by simple goals, beautiful _ , _ graceful,  _ unable to coexist peacefully with birds _ ― the works. She loved her life and the people in it, had never found use in wallowing in negativity, and  _ definitely _ didn’t let a little bout of  _ forgetfulness _ upset her. 

Cho frowned, setting the mug down on the rumpled landscaping that was her bedspread. She began to walk herself through the mental checklist for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

‘ _ What could I possibly be forgetting? _ ’

She had checked in with her parents not that long ago ( _ spent her time correcting them and their atrocious usage of facetime, more like) _ . Her alarm was set and ready to alert literally  _ everyone else _ that it was time for her to get up. All of her personal effects, save for the mug, had been packed― that she had triple checked. It wouldn’t do to leave anything here. The tour’s next stop was France. They’d be touring the catacombs before heading out into the countryside.

At the thought of the catacombs, Cho cringed. Despite being on a tour with such a thoughtful name such as ‘ _ Mystery Haunts Tours’ _ , she wasn’t a major fan of the spooky stuff. Not to say that she didn’t enjoy  _ spoopy _ things, but there was a fine line between  _ sardonic  _ scary, and  _ pants-crapping _ scary. Memes made all the difference. Sure, some of the places the group had visited had turned out to be really cool, but it was hardly what she had come for. Cho had three goals for this trip, and she wanted to achieve them to their fullest. 

One: Find and buy all the ugly collectibles.

Two: Flirt with at least one cute person, whether they were in her group or a local, and maybe get involved in a forbidden love scandal. ( _ Something Romeo and Juliet-esque, but, y’know, without the death. _ )

And Three…

Cho heaved a frustrated sigh and tipped the mug onto its side. She  _ knew _ there was third reason as to why she was here; it was the most important one, she couldn’t help but feel. But for the life of her, she just couldn’t remember  _ what _ that reason was.

She picked the mug up, resisting the urge to growl. Swinging her legs off the bed, the young woman stood up and moved towards the other side of the room to put the mug in her bag. Halfway across from her destination she stopped, noticing a black suitcase with a backpack on top of it. It wasn’t that those items had appeared out of nowhere, she had seen them a few times since she’d come back to the lodge, but it was only now that she actually paid attention to them. At first she assumed that they belonged to her; she had brought along a bit more luggage than most, nothing unusual. Cho stepped towards the neatly tucked away bags, deciding to store her mug in one of those instead. 

She crouched and began reaching for the zipper to the backpack. Only, she stopped before she even really started. 

There were pins adorning the flap. Colorful, expensive looking pins of a certain bird.

Cho was not a major fan of Orange Bird, the small creature that was apparently a special feature exclusive to Disney World. Sure, the little guy was cute, but she didn’t like him enough to buy any of his merch, let alone cover her bag with his pins. 

No, this was definitely not her bag.

But then, whose  _ was  _ it?

The forgetful itching now clawed at the back of her mind with a renewed sense of vigor. Cho hunched in on herself, frowning. 

She wasn’t forgetting a  _ what _ , she was forgetting a  _ who _ .

* * *

 

“Lord Xemnas wants to see the girl.  _ Immediately _ .”

A shiver spiraled through Emryn’s body. Saïx’s words mingled as an echo to the sensation, causing her discomfort to multiply. Of course, she had seen this coming, perhaps from the moment she encountered Axel in the Corridor of Darkness. If not then, the idea could have crossed her mind when she was given that delightfully boring tour. But it was only just barely clicking into place that she was going to have to deal with Xehanort number… What was it, four?

Ugh. Math.

Ugh.  _ Xehanort. _

Next thing she’d know they would be telling her she had to take a test on how to math using only Xehanorts’ to find the sum of  _ x _ . With the chills already adding to the tension in her body, Emryn felt as if she had officially stepped into the true horror story zone of this nightmare.

She startled when something nudged her shoulder, the distressing thoughts about math dipping into a dark crevice to reappear at a later, more inconvenient date. Glancing away from Saïx, she saw Axel gesture with his head for her to move along. It only further unsettled her how calm he appeared. What did she look like to him if he was offering her a bit of gentleness?

As if she was still in need of further prompting, he added, “He means you, Miss Trouble.”

His sarcasm made for a surprisingly good anchor. 

“Giving me pet names already? How touching,” she muttered. “Should have bought me dinner first, though.”

“Sounds like a yucky job. I think I’ll pass.” A corner of his mouth twitched, and he folded his arms.

She feigned offense, laying a hand over her heart while giving him a lighthearted scowl. “Excuse you, but I’m a  _ ― delight _ .”

Before Axel could whip up another retort a low, frustrated growl interrupted. Em breathed in deeply before rounding to face Saïx again. She avoided looking at him directly, not particularly willing to look a beast in the eye, instead focusing on a spot right next to his ear. The blue haired man curtly nodded his head and stepped to the side. Setting her back straight, the young woman took her first step towards what was bound to be something unpleasant.

Unlike the rest of the Castle That Never Was, the Round Room possessed an ungodly brilliance to it. The contrast between the muted white out in the halls and the blindingly luminescent white in here nearly caused Emryn to hiss like a night dweller that had suddenly been exposed to daylight. She cringed, shielding her eyes with one hand. Behind her the door shut with a quiet but resounding clunk. Axel and Saïx had not followed her inside.

Thirteen chairs rose high above her to varying degrees of ridiculous, forcing Emryn to tilt her head back if she wanted to see their full height. ( _ What was the fucking point? Couldn’t they have their dramatic conversations on ground level like normal people? What the actual f-u-c-)  _ This action, however, did not agree with the literal pain in her neck, that which had just recently formed thanks to the jackhammer beating its way out of her skull. There wasn’t a raised platform in the center of the room like there was one in the games, though.

Em edged forward, directing her attention towards the man sitting on the tallest chair. The dude that had caused one too many heart problems. The guy that just  _ had _ to outdo Voldemort when it came to splitting his soul and possessing things he shouldn’t possess. The one, the only…

‘ _ MANSEX!’ _

Cho’s voice screamed in her head with the power of a WWE commentator while John Cena’s theme song played in the background.

Of all the things that could have killed her up until this point, it _had_ to be fucking _Cho_ and her love of that _god awful_ _meme!_

She curled the hand shielding her eyes and lowered it to her mouth in an attempt to maintain some semblance of dignity. She pressed her lips firmly together as a smile fought to break out across her face. Emryn held her breath and avoided looking at Xemnas. She was not going to laugh.  _ She was not going to laugh _ .

Meanwhile, Xemnas watched on. He said nothing, made no move to garner attention. He simply sat there, staring, observing. Eventually, the young woman managed to regain enough composure so that she wouldn’t be distracted. Emryn squinted up at Xemnas in uncertainty before trudging forward. 

The moment she was a few steps within the circle of chairs then the floor began to rumble. Emryn wobbled as the floor rose, creating the platform she hadn’t seen earlier. At about a fourth of height of the chairs then the floor ceased moving. Silence overpowered the room.

Em tilted her head back as far as she could tolerate, regarding Xemnas just as carefully as he studied her. Despite the extra edge of clarity her glasses provided, the man was just far enough that she couldn’t make out any specific details of his face. To her, he was just a heartless, thoughtless being sitting on a throne of lies. Just as he intended for it to be.

After allowing the oppressive silence to endure a few moments longer, Xemnas finally spoke. His first words barely went above a murmur, but the low baritone of his voice still carried down to her, causing her ears to prick in confusion.

“ _ So, this is how it begins.” _

Her brow creased. ‘ _ This is how what begins? _ ’

Before she could further question the ominous statement then Xemnas had moved on, his deep voice growing louder. Her confusion quickly morphed into disgust as his voice became clearer, and she cringed with a scowl. Every time she heard this guy speak she was reminded of how much she hated the Terranort voice. Aside from always sounding like he was some sort of self righteous holy man, the amount of  _ extra _ there was in his deep voice made her think she was about to hear a commercial for the next B rated, clichéd chick flick of the year. 

“Welcome, stranger. I have been told that you possess a rather unique intellect of both worlds and people alike. Tell me, what brings you here?”

For someone who claimed she was intelligent, he was asking her a very stupid question. Her voice went flat as she responded, “Uh, Axel.”

He let out a deep breath that vaguely resembled a snort. “I see.” He lightly rested his chin in his hand. “You are incredibly straightforward, so I won’t mince my words and get straight to the point as well.”

Emryn rolled her eyes. “You, get straight to the point? Really? ‘Cause I could’ve sworn you enjoyed listening to yourself speak, what with how much you drone on about that stupid, bull― doorway.”

She was sweating again. Where was some fucking duct tape when she needed it? Shouldn’t she have learned by now what opening her mouth accomplished? Yet whether it was in the face of Fear or Arrogance, she couldn’t seem to stop channeling her inner Chunk long enough to shut up. At the rate she was sliding on this downward spiral, she was going to slingshot her way into Hell.

What was probably more unnerving to her, though, was the fact that Xemnas continued to act unphased by her increasingly testy behavior. It seemed that no matter what form he was in, Xehanort was an eternally patient man. And unfortunately for Em, she had never dealt well with people who acted as if their limits were endless, and that others were no exception.

“Join us. Help us achieve our goal.” Xemnas acted as if he hadn’t just heard her  _ trash _ his so called goal, and his blatant acceptance of her ‘ _ unique intellect _ ’ was disconcerting. He shifted forward in his seat, extending his hand even though they both knew she wouldn’t be able to reach it. “With your all knowing power to guide us, we will be able to see Kingdom Hearts come to fruition sooner. You can help pave the way―”

Emryn’s nostrils flared as the words ‘ _ all knowing _ ’ struck a nerve. She glared fiercely, her voice nearly reaching a growl as she said, “ _ Hold it right there _ . Don’t go pinning god like traits such as all knowing on me. I may know a lot of things, but I am  _ far _ from knowing everything. 

“And why would I go along with you when I’ve clearly made my opinion about your ‘ _ goal’ _ known? Even if I  _ did _ join up with your organization I’d be about as compliant about doing my work as Demyx is when it comes to doing his. Seriously, you think your arguments are always  _ so  _ compelling― Well they’re not! So stop trying to sell your point, ‘cause I’m not buying!”

The room had acquired a fog like quality to it, and all the joints in her body felt light, detached. The throbbing in the back of her head had long since turned into one constant stream of pain, up to the point where it was almost numb. Pins and needles had appeared in the tips of her fingers and toes; somewhere in her mind she recognized that she was on the verge of passing out, but it was overrode by an incessant,  _ foolish _ , need to drive her point home. She  _ needed _ to feel some sort of justice in this dream, even if it meant taking an embellished educated guess and shoving it in Xemnas’s face.

“But if you want to know stuff so badly then I’ll  _ tell  _ you something. You are  _ never  _ going to win. Ventus is going wake up, Aqua will come back from the Realm of Darkness, and Terra  _ will _ get his body back. You won’t get your stupid keyblade war or special  _ x _ - _ blade _ ! And Sora’s the one who’s going to stop you.”

She was shaking by the time she was finished. In just a few moments she would wake up. Sleeping, blacking out― it didn’t matter which, for she could never do it in a dream without forcing herself to wake up. And right now all she really wanted was a way out of this fucking dream.

For one moment Xemnas was silent, rooted to his seat with his hand still stretched out. Em blinked, swaying. In that second the white haired man disappeared. She teetered forward and suddenly he was before her, a gloved hand over her mouth, gripping her face firmly. Up close Terra’s face was set like stone, rigid and unreadable. But Xehanort’s eyes gleamed in the light, like sharp, gold daggers poised to pierce her without a moment’s hesitation. 

Emryn panicked, twisting sharply to bite his hand. Her teeth met his knuckle and she ground them together viciously, his glove hardly acting as a buffer.

Xemnas jerked away. The sudden movement stole Emryn’s remaining balance and she let go, falling to her hands and knees. The lighter she felt the harder it was to breathe and in turn it only increased the sensation of floating; a vicious cycle. She collapsed in a heap at Xemnas’s feet. 

As everything slowed to a halt within her, a few words met her ears to accompany her into the nothingness.

“ _ Take the Oracle to Vexen. There is much to be done, if she is to withstand the darkness.” _

* * *

 

_ A dusty road stretched onward, unobstructed by nothing but the far off horizon. Summer green hills rolled with the gentle breeze, the air combing though the long grass like fingers that would weave through hair. The soft blue of the cloudless sky lightened, until it became a soft haze of white at the place where land and sky met. As gravel crunched under her feet, everything but the path shimmered, a refraction of the different shards of light which made up the peaceful scenery. _

_ Even though it seemed the traveler walked with no purpose, her thoughts ran with reckless abandon, both ahead of her, and behind her. The young woman walked to catch up with those thoughts. _

_ Once upon a time, there was a young girl who would have been thrilled to be in this place. She desired for an adventure. She craved a release from her ordinary, hopeless, magicless world. That girl would have given anything to see other worlds like the ones in her books. Like the ones in her own mind. So the young girl sought out the path she might take to achieve such grandiose goals. _

_ Once upon a time, there was a young woman who became content with writing about others seeking adventure in her place. She had become complacent with the idea of being stuck where she was. Her desires to possess the unusual were stifled, and she had long since stopped seeking out the unordinary. Reality crushed her naïvety and set her straight in a new mould. Magic never existed, and hope was something she learned to deal without. _

_ The young woman had been okay with that. _

_ A crossroad formed in the traveler’s path. On either side rose gilded frames, what lay beyond them a reflection of possible destinations. _

_ On the right hand side the dusty road continued. Eventually it disappeared into a far off copse of trees. Near the start of the path stood the traveler with her back to herself. The breeze played with strands of her hair, the sunlight catching them with a glow like fire. Her back was relaxed, unburdened. She was ready to move forward. _

_ To the left the road became a sidewalk. Another version of the traveler stood on the other side. This path led to a familiar world. Her world. Further ahead she saw her best friend playing a game of tag with her family, her own little brother racing about with a grin that suggested he would never be caught. Sitting in the grass nearby and chatting amicably with each other were her and her friend’s mothers. Her friend’s dad was was struggling to bring out the entirety of their picnic from their minivan, while her own father was absent from the social gathering, as he usually was. The traveler’s friend had spotted her, and she waved vigorously for her to join the rest. _

_ The traveler turned towards the road they knew so well, a call ready on her lips. _

_ A hand gripped her by the elbow, pulling her away from the left hand road. The traveler jumped, turning to face the one that had touched her. Slate grey eyes peered back at her through rectangular glasses, wide and glimmering with an excited, but knowing look. The other her placed a finger to her lips, crooked in a small, uneven smile, and she shook her head.  _

_ The traveler tried to pull her arm from the reflection’s grasp, but it was useless to fight against her own grip. She had never been one to let go so easily. The other her began pulling her towards the unused road.  _

_ “Don’t forget,” she whispered. “You promised.” _

* * *

 

A stuttering gasp escaped Emryn as she jolted awake, the other her’s words echoing hauntingly in her mind. Electrical pangs assaulted her from head to foot, sending her writhing over the edge of whatever she had been lying upon. She hit the floor with a heavy thump. The sudden shift caused her stomach to turn over itself in a terrifying manner, shifting upwards in a not so subtle threat as she continued to move. Her hand flew to her mouth and she curled inwards to stem the nausea. Beneath her, the floor felt like ice, and she shuddered.

Sharp footsteps tapped across the hard floor. A moment later something metallic was placed near her head. 

Emryn opened her eyes to a blurry world. They closed again for a long while, before she dared to crane her head and look at what had been left for her. When she saw the object it felt like watching the light turn green at an intersection, and her churning stomach was the vehicle revving to go. Quick as a flash, she shoved her head inside the garbage can and heaved. Acidic bile burned her throat and soiled her pallette. 

Someone clicked their tongue before releasing a nasally sigh.

“That makes the third Hi-Potion your body has rejected. And I had even made certain this time that this one wasn’t almost expired.”

Emryn almost choked as she retched. Tears poured out of her eyes, mixing with the copious amount of sweat that beaded wherever it pleased, and her hair hung limp in her peripheral. After a few more minutes of offering her guts to the trash can her stomach settled into an uncomfortable, bubbly stew.

Slowly, the young woman eased herself up, propping herself unsteadily around the trash can. She wiped at her face furiously, but using sweaty hands to wipe an even wetter face only got her so far. A white cloth was handed to her and she snatched it without a second thought.

“Hmm. Your symptoms are reminiscent of the flu, yet, more than anything, they’re caused by the concussion you had received. Although I suspect that cut in your leg is paying some sort of contribution as well. What to do, what to do?”

Bleary eyes gazed up at the blond man bent over her. He clasped his chin with one hand and his arm with the other, bobbing from side to side as he spoke. Watching him move made her dizzy and her stomach clenched threateningly. Em ducked her head to avoid potential catastrophe. She struggled to remember who he was, the idea that she recognized him tickling her brain. He was a scientist, kinda creepy, and his appearance reminded her of Lucius Malfoy. His name was…

“Even?” Her throat was raw, lending her voice a hoarse, unsavory rasp. “No… Vexen.” The man stopped rambling and stared.

“So it’s true that you know who we are, and who we were.” He began to bob again. “But I must ask, what kind of Oracle are you to speak so freely of what you know? From what I’ve read, Oracles are the worst conversationalists.”

Whatever it was Vexen had just asked was immediately shoved to the furthest reaches of her mind, save for the one word she had honed in on. Emryn blinked slowly, making sure to exaggerate the action by ducking her head forward.

“Sorry, I’m a what now?” Hadn’t Xemnas said something about an Oracle before she passed out, too?  _ Wait.. _

“An Oracle,” Vexen replied simply. Emryn didn’t hear him, too focused on the sudden influx of thoughts. 

She had mouthed off Xemnas and bantered with Axel, hell, before that she had fought off Heartless and nearly died from the same thing. All of  _ that _ had been done under the notion that she’d be fine once she woke up. But she remembered collapsing,  _ passing out _ , and even  _ dreaming _ . Doing things like that while supposedly already in a dream was impossible! Unless she was somehow employing Inception, there was just no way she was dreaming now. And if that was the case…

‘ _ Shit.’ _

If she wasn’t dreaming now, if she was truly here in the universe of Kingdom Hearts, then she had said a bunch of things that put a large target on her back, and big ol’ letters that spelled out ‘ _ DUNCE’ _ on her forehead. And now that she was already here with the Organization, the probability of her finding her way out was a big fat freakin’  _ zero. _ The realization of that alone was too much, and her stomach caved again.

Vexen backed away as she retched into the can. “Something has to be done about that. But unless we can figure out what to give you that won’t make you sick…”

“Have you tried a Panacea?” An indifferent voice joined the fray. If Emryn had to guess, it was Zexion. “Here are the lab results, by the way.”

Papers shuffled as Vexen continued to think out loud. “Yes yes― I’ve tested two regular potions, a Panacea, and currently she is expelling the third Hi-Potion. It’s safe to assume that if we give her a Mega Potion then the results will still be the same. I’m beginning to wonder if we should cast a Cure on her, or would that fail as―  _ Oh my. _ ”

Vexen went silent as he studied the results. Emryn’s heaving mingled with the beeping and droning of various machines, until even that went quiet. The scientist paced as he read, bringing his footsteps closer and closer to where he had started. Another set of footsteps followed after him.

“It seems that the problem lies not only with the medication, but with the patient as well.” Em looked up to see him leaning towards her. He grabbed her face, turning it every which way, as if she were a specimen he had never encountered before. 

“The universe is filled with all kinds of strange creatures,” he began. “Every single one of them possesses a unique strand of genetic material. Sometimes that strand is strained, leading to an evolution of species that was designed to survive in the most demanding of habitats.”

Emryn’s shoulders sunk and she gave the scientist an impatient look. The last thing she wanted to listen to was a lesson on heredity and traits, a science lesson she had heard repeatedly since sixth grade. 

“The point, Vexen?” Zexion appeared over his senior’s shoulder. “I don’t think the Oracle needs you lecturing her about genetics.”

The blond threw his head back to look at his apprentice, snapping as he did so. “I was getting to it! Don’t be rude.”

He cleared his throat before returning his attention to Emryn. “As I was saying― Species evolve to survive. But even though every strand is different for each creature, I have noticed that, no matter which world they come from, there is always one thing that remains constant. That constant is a little piece of coding which allows the body to process magic.

“You, however, are the first I have seen to not possess such a trait.”

Vexen released Emryn and he continued his lecture, supporting his conclusion with the evidence of how her body reacted poorly to potions and an injury received from a creature of darkness. Meanwhile, Em struggled to wrap her mind around magic factoring into genetic makeup. 

A part of it made sense that she wouldn’t have some gene for processing magic― she came from a world where such a thing didn’t exist, after all. Well… It wasn’t  _ supposed  _ to, anyways. For magic to not exist at all then she wouldn’t have been spirited away by a mirror and a strange looking clock. But the fact that that had happened at all said that magic  _ did _ exist, and after going her whole life believing that magic was nothing but something made up for fairy tales― It made her head hurt.

“This then leads me to question what makes one an Oracle. If one possesses no magic, then how does one receive knowledge of past and future events?” Em jumped at the question, though she quickly realized it wasn’t directed towards her. It seemed that both Vexen and Zexion had drawn themselves into a scientific debate.

“Oracles are considered messengers of the gods, are they not? Gifts given by the gods are considered a divine power, which is something that may be above magic. Perhaps where this Oracle comes from then it is necessary to not possess a trait for magic.” Zexion was mimicking the older man’s thinking position, but without all the swaying.

“But that suggests beings of higher powers exist, and if such beings exist then it puts into question why magic would be needed in the first place.”

Oh.  _ Oh no _ . She was already dealing with too much existence questioning of her own today, she did  _ not _ need to listen to two devout scientists bring theology into their debate. Her head was in enough pain as it was.

A shadow descended over her. “Looks like trouble found you again.” Startled, Em glanced over her shoulder to see Axel smirking. “Still, I don’t envy anyone that gets stuck listening to those two go at it.”

He gave her a two fingered wave before a frown slipped over his smirk. “You look like crap,” he remarked.

Em was certain she looked like crap and then some, but she shrugged it off with a bit of noncommittal denial. “Hey, trust me, when I woke up today I had no plans to be this sexy.”

“Ah, yes. My bad. What inspired the new look? The morgue?”

She smiled weakly. “I was aiming for the Black Plague, but your idea works too.”

Axel was easy to talk to, and that was soothing to her overworked nerves. Although she knew that this was most likely an act on his part it was nice to believe that he was trying to be casual with her.

Before the redhead could add another comment, both of their attention was stolen.

“Axel, what brings you here?” Vexen and Zexion had separated, the former drawing closer while the latter went to another part of the lab.

“Just dropping by to check in on the Oracle’s recovery. It’s been nearly two days, so the Superior wanted a progress report.” He waved his hand aimlessly before settling it behind his head. 

Emryn froze. Two days. She had been unconscious for the last two days. What was happening back in her world? Surely they had noticed her absence and were looking for her, weren’t they? What would happen though when they couldn’t find her anywhere? Would she become a vanished without a trace case? And what about her family? What about Cho?

“Anyway, since she’s awake then it seems like we have nothing to worry about. I’ll let the Superior know and then I’ll stop by again later.” Emryn looked up as Axel turned to her. His mouth quirked into a half grin and he dipped his head. “By the way, welcome to the Organization, Miss Trouble.”

Without missing a beat the young man turned silently on his heel and disappeared. Emryn’s head reeled with the various bits and pieces of new information, but as Vexen helped her back onto the makeshift bed there was one thing she was certain of: Staying here was going to create a whole slew of problems, some she would never be able to fix if she broke them.

She needed to find a way home, and soon.


	4. Hi, I'm Michael with a Meme

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Axel considers opening a business, Moogles aren't cheap, and Demyx looks into the religion of Fall Out Boy.

“Vexen, you put that vial back where it came from or so help me!” Emryn brandished her pillow threateningly at the approaching scientist. “I’ve had enough of your ‘ _ medical experiments _ ’. Just put on some good old fashion neosporin and slap a bandaid over it!”

“We’ve gone over this, Oracle, but there is no ‘ _ neosporin’ _ here in our possession. Now if you will just allow me to apply this to the wound then―!” Vexen dodged a well aimed attack meant to clock him in the head, cradling a vial protectively. Em swiped the pillow back and forth a few more times, making certain he stayed back. The two scowled at each other, neither willing to back down on the matter.

“Really now,” he huffed indignantly. “I would think you’d be leaping at any opportunity given to you to not be sick anymore! If we simply follow through with continuous exposure, then surely your body will have adapted to tolerate magic to  _ at least  _ the barest of minimums. It’s not that complex!”

The young woman bristled. “Easy for you to say! You’re not the one who has to  _ deal  _ with the ‘ _ continuous exposure _ ’!”

Emryn huddled herself into a more secure position, tucking her injured leg out of view. She bunched the pillow up and leaned into it. While she had to admit that the man had a solid idea, she was reaching beyond the point of exhausted with this camaraderie. Certainly, building up a tolerance to foreign substances was beneficial, but forcing her body to  _ evolve  _ for it? She wasn’t a fucking Pokémon! And besides, she was fairly certain evolution didn’t work like that. She may not have been  _ the best _ at science, but it was a fairly easy concept to grasp that evolution was something happened over a grand scale of time. ( _ Even Pokémon had to be leveled up before they could evolve.) _

A frustrated noise escaped the scientist. He aggressively pointed the green vial at her, before diving into another spiel. “I’ve been instructed to bring you to the pinnacle of health so that you can begin working right away; by no means am I going to let your refusal to cooperate impede me. You can’t wave that pillow around forever! In the end, this burst of strength will have been short lived, and you’ll have only accomplished prolonging the inevitable.”

“You’re not putting anymore magic crap in my cut! I can still feel the effects from the last time you did that!” Emryn recoiled as she recalled the unpleasant experience.

_ Earlier: _

“Interesting.”

Emryn opened her eyes at the word, exhaustion begging her to close them again. For the past two days since her initial awakening, she had drifted between consciousness and erratic, fever filled dreams. It was hardly a state anyone would consider helpful for recovery. Another thing that wasn’t very helpful was Vexen and Zexion being, well, Vexen and Zexion.

“What is it?” Em craned her head a bit, watching as Zexion put his book down and joined his senior at one of the many tables that were scattered around the room. She resisted the urge to groan. Just as much as she’d been out of commission for the past two day, those two had done nothing but discuss the peculiarity of her magicless-ness. If she had been in better condition then perhaps their conversations would have sounded interesting. As it were, though, it only added to the feeling that the life was slowly being drained out of her. ( _ Things only got worse if they realized she was awake, too. Their questions never. Freaking. Ended. _ )

“I’ve been looking over the Oracle’s blood samples again, and it appears that something  _ new _ has found its way into existence.”

Papers were shuffled between the two. Zexion leaned closer to evaluate the results. Quietly, Em shifted, until she had managed to prop herself on one elbow. Her heart rate kicked up a notch. There was something  _ new _ in her blood? What, did he find a different strain of illness this time? Was she going to be sick the entire time she was here?

“Before, I had mentioned that species adapted to survive their environment. At first I had taken this to mean that, with wherever the girl comes from, her species had adapted to survive  _ without _ magic. Though I found it odd, as everyone I have ever studied did possess  _ some _ form of genetic coding that allowed for coexisting.” Vexen shifted, pointing at something on one of the papers. “And then I found  _ this:  _ An inconsistency between a sample taken from her arm, and a sample taken from the wound on her leg.”

Oh god, it was something  _ worse. _

Emryn sat up straighter. Her drowsiness was gone, replaced with a sharp alertness that bordered on wariness.

“Where there was no coding for magic, there’s now something there that…  _ resembles _ one.” Vexen hesitated for a moment, gesturing abstractly as he tried to find the right words. “A dormant trait at its finest, if I ever have seen one, although it appears to be incredibly malformed. Incomplete and unstable, if you will.”

Zexion hummed thoughtfully. “So perhaps there  _ is _ magic on the Oracle’s homeworld, but the need for its use has faded, thus giving way to a transmutation of species; like an organ that’s not needed for survival, but is still there regardless.”

“It’s conceivable, but what triggered the trait into action?” The question brought about a silence long silence, that which was broken by an answer from Zexion yet again.

“Earlier, when the Oracle was more cognizant, I had inquired about the nature of the cut she had received from the Heartless. She said that it had been given to her by a common Shadow, and hadn’t done anything but ache until she set foot into the Dark Corridor. Perhaps the wound acted as some sort of conduit, which allowed for the pure energy of the Darkness to trigger the genetic trait out of dormancy?”

“Hmm. Strenuous exposure to foreign forces, accessible through a controlled area…,” Vexen began bobbing from side to side as he thought. “Might it be plausible to say that more exposure through the conduit would encourage the body to continue developing a means to preserve itself?”

She didn’t like where this was going. Though their words were said about as thoughtfully as if they were considering the weather, there was a cold sort of fascination hidden in the underlying meaning. This, Em had come to learn, usually meant they were about to try something she was  _ not  _ going to like.

“There is only one way to find out,” they seemed to agree.

The duo turned sharply on their heels, synchronized in their actions despite preparing to head in separate directions. Zexion moved towards the shelves, where various vials containing only god knew what were organized neatly in little rows. Meanwhile, Vexen’s path could be clearly traced right back to where she lay on a cot against the furthest wall. The older male did not smile or make any sort of placating gesture to assure her that this was not going to turn into a disaster ( _ though it was clearly one waiting to happen). _ Instead he took one look at her wary posture and set his shoulders in a grim line, only confirming what the mounting tension had previously spelled out.

Zexion returned with a small vial, which bubbled with vibrant green liquid. He handed the potion to his senior, stepping out of sight, though she knew he was hovering behind her. Vexen made short work of removing the bandage on her leg, exposing the cut from the Heartless. The cut itself wasn’t terribly large, but that didn’t make it look any prettier. Three thin slashes were defined under her knee cap, black bordering the edges with dried blood and singe marks from the energy of the Dark Corridor. Emryn flinched as Vexen prodded at the tender insides of the wound.

“Now,” he said, shortly before trickling small amounts of potion into each cut. “We shall see if this will finally do something for your injuries and illness.”

At first, nothing happened.

And then it hit her.

Emryn made a sibilant noise. A sharp wave ran through her body, causing it to go stiff as a rod, and she fell back against Zexion’s open hands. 

Once, when she hadn’t been careful while fumbling around in the dark for a plug in, she had gotten zapped by touching too much of the inner part of the electrical socket. That feeling was far more painful than being shocked because there was an excess amount of static. Her fingers had felt as if someone had stuck tiny popcorn kernels inside of them and began cooking them, the sensation lasting long afterwards to make certain she remembered the pain. Now she was reliving the moment, only this time feeling like she was five times shy of being struck by lightning.

Even though it was probably but a fraction of what it could have been, the stress overwhelmed her, and she fainted.

_ Currently: _

Emryn had woken up from that with a clearer head than she ever had within the last few days, but she had no intentions of ever letting them try that again.

“You. Dusk.” Vexen snapped impatiently at a large Nobody that loitered nearby. It straightened somewhat at the call, causing a lanyard wrapped around its neck to shimmy from side to side. “ _ Restrain her. _ ”

“His  _ name _ is Frank, and you’re not dragging him into this! This is a battle between you and me,  _ Vexy _ .” She growled at Vexen like he’d just insulted her own child. ( _ Who was she kidding? Since she’d met the Dusk a couple days ago, she had treated it like it were her own. _ ) 

Em waved the Dusk, who had begun sensually walking towards her, away. “And Frank,  _ sweetie,  _ I know we’ve discussed your walking habits. You don’t have to be like that around me. We’re cool, you know?”

The Dusk wiggled falteringly, and despite the lack of an actual face, its expression was clearly that of confusion. Did it listen to the angry one in the black coat, who was technically its superior, or did it listen to the weird girl that had given it a name tag on a necklace and started calling it Frank? Both held a significant amount of power over its actions, but which one held more?

Frank didn’t know. Frank’s job was just to watch the Oracle.

The scientist spluttered, his face reddening in a way that horribly contrasted against his pale blond hair. “Don’t call me  _ Vexy.  _ That’s not my name!”

If shrugging passive-aggressively was a sport, Em would have left no survivors. “Yeah, well, Vexen’s not really your name either, but here we are anyways.

“I’ll make you a deal though. Drop the vial and I’ll drop the nickname. It’s a win-win for everyone, eh?”

“I refuse!” His response was concise but shrill. Emryn winced at the sound, but didn’t hesitate to retaliate just as quickly.

“Then I refuse as well!”

The stalemate had reached a full revolution. Neither side wanted to budge on the matter, but Emryn didn’t see much of a problem with it. She was better at waiting out these kind of battles. Vexen’s patience, on the other hand, was incredibly limited when his test subjects actively worked against him. Even now she could see his resolve waning. It wouldn’t be long until he backed off for a little while. He hadn’t been joking when he had said that this burst of energy would eventually dissipate. And he would most definitely be there to take advantage of that. Vengefully.

After what felt like time dragging its feet on and on endlessly, Vexen snapped. “ _ Fine! _ You win for now, but I will get my way eventually.”

“Sounds scandalous. Unfortunately, you’re not really my type.” Man oh man, did she wish she had a cup of tea on hand. Sipping some of that fancy shit while watching Vexen nearly choke himself to death?  _ That _ would have been priceless.

Emryn sagged in relief as the man stormed off, nearly slamming the vial onto one of his work tables. Once he disappeared from her view she relaxed even further. With a tired grin, she turned towards Frank.

“Well, I don’t particularly fancy what’s in store for my future,” she rolled her eyes, “but let’s celebrate this victory anyways. You still have those cards?”

The Dusk shuffled from side to side in uncertainty. She watched as it bent over awkwardly, its lanky body and general upright stance not used to lowering itself, while it swiped around beneath the cot with its long fingers. Eventually, it managed to retrieve a little deck of cards. Where it had originally gotten them, she wasn’t sure. She just hoped Frank hadn’t stolen them from a certain fate gambling guy known as Luxord. Lord knew she didn’t need another Organization member on her ass for petty reasons.

She took the cards from Frank and began shuffling them.

“So, shall we bet on how much time I have before Vexen makes my murder look like an accident?”

* * *

 

Axel sighed dramatically, not that there was anybody else hanging around to hear his unspoken statement.  _ They  _ had all disappeared as soon as the  _ prospect  _ of babysitting their newest ( _ half _ ) member had come up in discussion. Since the girl’s recovery was finally underway then it was only a matter of time before it was up to someone else to keep an eye on her. He, unfortunately, had not been quick enough to escape the clutches of responsibility, though really, he’d also seen this coming. Naturally, it was always up to him to take care of the icky jobs.

He ambled down the hallway, Vexen’s lab just at the end of it. Underneath one arm, tucked in a neat, dark little ball, was a new set of clothes.

Why was he the one getting stuck on newbie duty lately? Was he going to have to start charging for services that didn’t require killing heartless and scouting out new worlds? How much profit was there in the babysitting industry these days? Perhaps he should consider setting up a shop next to the Moogle store.

Granted, there was the fact that he also didn’t particularly mind taking care of the newbies. Well,  _ a  _ newbie, anyways. Roxas had gone from a zombie to a dopey kid that could wield a keyblade under his tutelage, so that was a win for him. Roxas was also just a kid. Kids needed  _ someone _ they could look to and trust. But with  _ this _ particular newbie… The Oracle was just plain weird. He wasn’t certain how to turn  _ that _ into a stellar employee of the month.

There were other reasons that he could think of for getting stuck with the Oracle, though. He was the one who brought her here, so that more or less turned her into his responsibility. ( _ As Saïx would have said, in a time that seemed so long ago, his habit of picking up strays was going to land him in trouble one day. _ ) What was more, the Oracle seemed to be more at ease around him. Out of everyone, this put him at the biggest advantage for getting information out of her. What was in her head was what the Organization wanted, after all.

And even if the Organization were to, for some reason, change their mind,  _ he  _ wanted the knowledge inside her head. They were complete strangers, yet she had called him by the name he had gone by when he was a Somebody. She claimed she knew about  _ him _ . What was more dangerous than a stranger that knew all your secrets?

So even though he acted like he was being forced to undertake an unfair chore, he was more than readily taking the opportunity to observe a potential enemy.

Axel turned right, swinging neatly through the open doorway. The room was mostly quiet; only the soft humming and beeping of machinery could be heard, along with― Wait, was that music he heard? He cocked his head slightly to the left. Yeah, definitely music. It was moderately paced, if not erring on the slower side of things, as if to deliberately pronounce the beat and make you tap along with it. Straining his ears a bit, he carefully picked out a few of the lyrics; whoever it was that was singing, he wanted to be remembered as a legend for centuries. 

If Axel could feel, he would surely be empathizing with that singer.

He followed the music to its source, and was greeted with something he had not expected to find. His expectations and prior experiences had led him to think he would see the girl laying down to rest, unconscious and feverish. All of that was shot to hell as he walked in on her sitting upright, playing an intense game of cards with a Dusk. 

“Well, aren’t you looking less like you’ve been playing with the plague,” Axel drawled. He almost wanted to retract the statement as soon as she looked up. Her hair, though pulled up in a low ponytail, shined with grease. The edges were doing their own thing, going crazy, tangled and frizzed as they were. Dark circles rimmed her eyes clearly beneath her lenses, while a generous cropping of acne bloomed the heaviest across her forehead, where she evidently sweated the most. If he was going to be honest, she still looked like death, but he was going to humor her by pretending she didn’t.

The Oracle slammed the cards in her hand against the cot, startling the Dusk into dropping what little it had managed to hold on to. She had already covered over half the distance between them before he could even blink.

“Dude, please tell me you’ve come to break me out of here.” She was breathless, nasally,  _ and  _ desperate. “If I have to deal with Vexen trying to cure me any longer then  _ someone’s  _ gonna commit a felony! But if you ask me who then I can only tell you to flip a coin, cause it’s fifty-fifty up in the air no matter how you look at it.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle. Was she always this flighty, even when she wasn’t delusional with a concussion?

“So I take it that means you’re enjoying your stay then?”

She rolled her head with her eyes. “Ah, yes, ‘cause this is exactly how I expected to spend my first week in this universe: Sick, scrutinized like a lab rat,  _ and _ held hostage. The  _ perfect _ scenario.”

“Surely you did expect this to happen, though, didn’t you?” He tilted his head back, narrowing his eyes a fraction in challenge. “Isn’t that part of your job description, Miss Oracle?”

The young woman recoiled slightly at the title. “Ugh. No. It’s not like―,” she sighed, tucking a few fingers beneath the rim of her glasses to pinch the bridge of her nose. “ _ ― me _ . I really set myself up for this, didn’t I?”

Silence fell between them. Axel studied her carefully, picking out each nervous tic the longer the moment dragged out. She stared at a fixed point that was on the floor yet anywhere but, alternating between chewing on the corners of her mouth and picking at them with her fingers. Every few minutes her focus would lapse, briefly tuning into her surroundings, and she would tap along with the music, its source he still couldn’t find. Immediately after, her mind would leap back to wherever it had been, and she would lightly snap her fingers, as if doing so would help her recall something quicker. Despite the anxious fidgeting, the Oracle was clearly in the midst of thinking deeply.

Finally, after observing her long enough, he decided it was time to move on. Axel shifted, handing her the bundle he’d been carrying around.

The Oracle blinked once before wrinkling her nose, reluctantly taking the clothes from him. “This is very…  _ sweet _ … of you, but I have no intention of wearing the Organization’s version of Gucchi. I’m not a member, and I never plan to be.”

Axel wagged his head in mock disappointment. “You say that like you actually had a choice.”

Her expression darkened. “I was delirious and hoping you wouldn’t take me so seriously as to turn me over to your boss. On top of that, I was under the impression that this was all just a dream,” she muttered, referring to when they had met.

“Well, when a stranger calls someone by the name of a dead man, one’s gonna take it seriously.” A layer of ice lay thinly veiled beneath his words. Really though, how had she  _ not _ seen events unfolding like this? Axel wondered if she was really something else instead of an Oracle. Oracles at least had their shit together. This girl, clearly, did not.

The girl flinched slightly, but shook it off without a moment’s hesitation. She fixed him with a level gaze and a small, almost humorous smirk, saying, “You say that like Lea’s actually dead.”

He froze. She froze. There was a lot of mutual freezing involved as both parties processed the words just said. This was promptly followed by a display of… censored rage?

“ _ ‘Od ― ― it! Sonuva―!  _ I have  _ got _ to stop doing that!” The Oracle pushed her glasses up and furiously rubbed her eyes. 

Putting his immediate apprehension on hold, he instead redirected the conversation towards his confusion― though he fully intended to come back to this particular conversation later. “Okay. What was  _ that? _ ”

“What was what?” She lifted her hand and peered at him with bleary eyes.

“You were clearly saying something― I could see your lips moving ―but I heard nothing.”

The Oracle shrugged. “I don’t really know. For some reason―,” she turned and coughed something ( _ Disney?) _ into her shoulder. “Ever since I stepped into this friggin’ universe, I’ve been on some sort of rated E for Everyone censorship bs. I can’t swear, which is downright infuriating sometimes.”

“My condolences for your loss.” He wasn’t certain how something like that was even possible. Certainly, he didn’t swear often, but he could still do it with grace and ease. Was it just some sort of world hopping restriction for Oracles only?

“ _ Same _ ,” she muttered. The girl then glanced down at her new clothes, thought for a moment, then sighed before looking at him again. “Alright, if you’re not here to set me free, then will you at least point me in the direction of the showers? I’m freaking gross and haven’t seen the light of clear pores since I got here.”

Well, at least she knew she looked bad. Axel pretended to give it a thought for a moment. Truthfully, he shouldn’t be letting the Oracle go anywhere without Vexen’s say-so just yet, but then again, he didn’t really care if Vexen gave his permission or not. This lab only had a regular bathroom, giving the two mad scientists even more reason to stay holed up in here, as opposed to joining the rest of civilization. Her desire to get out of here and refresh herself was an understandable one. He nodded, and the Oracle sagged so much she could have turned into a puddle from all the relief. 

Quickly, the young woman hobbled back to the cot, grabbing a bag that had been set against the wall and the source of the music, a small and rectangular object. She bid the Dusk farewell before returning. ( _ The Dusk, however, had orders, and wouldn’t be caught staying behind. _ ) Axel checked his stride to match hers, then he began the grand adventure of showing the Oracle where the showers were.

They walked along mostly in silence; the music still played on that weird looking device he had seen, this time playing a song about being immortal. Occasionally, he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. Every time he caught her looking away. She had gone back to chewing on the corners of her bottom lip, a concentrated look darkening her eyes. Something was clearly eatin’ at her, but the real question was, how was he going to go about picking her brain to find out what?

Perhaps he should give casual conversation a go again. He had kinda made things tense the first time around, he’d admit that much. Or better yet, maybe what they needed was a proper introduction. The whole all knowing schtick that came with the Oracle job just put him off. She knew who was, both as a Somebody and a Nobody, but all he had for her was a placeholder nickname and a title. Since they were colleagues now, then that was just bad for business.

“So.” A good of a place to start as any, if he did say so himself. The Oracle looked at him. “I think we got off on the wrong foot earlier. Why don’t we start from the top, yeah? Name’s Axel. And you are?”

The girl gave him a dubious once over. For a second he could have sworn he saw her doing the arithmetic, the numbers and equations flying around her head as she tried to solve the mystery of the meaning behind his words. He briefly wondered how good she was at math. Part of him was already under the notion that she wasn’t very good at it to begin with. 

“I’m…?” Her brow furrowed and she adjusted the back at her side, so that it was more securely tucked beneath her arm. “You mean to tell me you don’t already know? I would have thought someone would have raided my stuff at any given point when I was unconscious to figure out who I was.”

Axel shook his head. “There’s a strict privacy policy among us members of the Organization. Once the Superior stated you were one of us the we couldn’t go snooping.” Though that thought had crossed his mind the moment she had become his assignment. A bit more offhandedly, he added, “What, did you think we just called you the Oracle ‘cause it was cooler?”

She ducked her head, shrugging. “I don’t really know. I mean, plenty of you guys call Roxas the Keybearer over his actual name, so I just figured you guys really liked titles more than anything.”

There was some credit to be given with those words. Most members did like to refer to each other by their titles over their names. If anything, a majority of the time a name was treated either as an insult or as a sign of alliance. Only members that acted close to each other and were considered partners ever actually used a name for casual reasons. He himself was rarely ever referred to as ‘ _ Axel’  _ by the others. He had been addressed by his position, number VIII, more than he had ever been called Axel, save for whenever he spoke to Roxas or Saïx.

“Well, while it’s true that we do have a thing for titles here in the Organization, we do occasionally refer to each other by name. Besides, what do you take me for? A heathen?” 

“You use your front teeth to bite into your ice cream, so yes, I do think you’re a heathen.”

Avoiding the fact that knowing the little details about him was creepy, he pursued the route of the wounded. “I’m hurt that you think so little of me.”

She cast him a slightly more suspicious glance. “So you really didn’t go through my things?”

“Positive.”

“Only fools are positive.” A grin slowly pulled its way up her face. The girl stopped, sticking out her hand. “Alright then. It’s nice to meet you, Axel. I’m…”

* * *

 

Warm water gently massaged her scalp, rivulets running through her hair and plastering it to her skin, drenching her. Steam so dense, it looked like mist, floated up and around the young woman. The clash of water against tile competed against the sound of Patrick Stump aggressively trying to convince everyone that it wasn’t a scene, but a goddamn arms race. And for the first time that week, Emryn felt refreshed. She was awake, uncongested, and she no longer felt gross; she could almost forget that she was being held hostage by the antagonists of a videogame.

Almost being the key word.

Emryn sighed, reaching behind her with one hand to turn the water off, and the other to fumble for the towel beyond the curtain. 

No matter how much she thought about it, dots still remained unconnected in her head. The concept of magic existing in the first place was incredibly vexing. Then there was the matter of how multiple universes also existed, and everyone in those universes had some kind of genetic coding that allowed themselves and magic to function together. Something like that suggested that magic had to be some kind of entity that was everywhere, and constantly in motion, to be able to interact with living beings so freely. This then led her to the matter of the magical status on her own planet and it’s inhabitants, and her specifically― all one big topic full of little tangents that branched off and tangled itself into one huge clusterfuck of timey wimey, wibbly wobbly...  _ stuff _ . Throw in the contents of her current predicament and you get something pear-shaped, which left her no other choice  _ but wanting _ to get decapitated.

‘ _ Later. I’m going to have to organize my thoughts by writing them down later.’ _

She began to dry off, stepping out of the shower. Even though Axel was outside and would alert her if someone was coming in― since this was basically a community styled shower ―she was quick to put something on. After having thought it through a little while showering, Em had come to grips with wearing most of the things the redhead had provided her with. With her pants ruined, and her shirt smelling of sickness and sweat then there really wasn’t much she could do  _ but  _ take what was offered; a tank top, long, slightly baggy pants, and a fresh pair of socks. All in black, unsurprisingly. She refused to trade in her red coat for the Organization trademark, though. 

The next few minutes were spent wringing her hair out to an acceptable level of dampness, before she went on a raid of the drawers on the far wall in search of a comb. Once she had found one then the tangles and knots became no more, and her hair was slicked back and tied up in a neat ponytail.

Em strode out of the bathroom with a renewed vigor, her bag at her side and phone tucked safely in the pockets of a surprisingly comfortable pair of pants. Axel leaned casually against the opposing wall. When he looked up both eyebrows flew the coop, and he gave short whistle.

“Wow, so you  _ can  _ look like a normal person.” He pushed off the wall and circled her. “Feel better, Michael with a suspiciously placed B?”

Emryn choked on a snort. When she had officially introduced herself her inner meme had decided to make an appearance, and once the vine had popped into her head there had been no stopping her mouth from introducing herself as Michael with a B and a lifelong fear of insects. Axel hadn’t bought it, but had still fallen neatly into the trap. In the end, at least he appreciated the humor, and Em gave her real name and a promise to show him the video later.

“There’s a  _ bee? _ ” She pulled a mini Spongegore, her voice wobbling for emphasis on the word ‘ _ bee’ _ . 

Axel rolled his eyes. “Yeah, it’s right here.” He flicked her square in the forehead. 

“Ow!”

Emryn rubbed her head, scowling as Axel did his short, teasing chuckle. “Ready to go back?”

She had scrambled backwards so fast, even Axel was surprised. Balking, Em shook her head hard enough to give herself another concussion, hissing, “Are you that  _ desperate  _ to leave me unsupervised with Death? I’d rather bore myself to tears in the Grey Area over spending any more time in Vexen’s lab.”

“I don’t blame you.” Axel shook his head, orienting himself to face the opposite direction they had come from. “Come on then, let’s prolong your date with Death.”

Oh, so now he takes her where she wants to go.

They walked in companionable silence until they reached the Grey Area, which, surprisingly, was devoid of any signs of life. Well, there was the little Moogle near the entrance, utilizing this lull in business to maintain his shop. Unlike in the games, there was actually a small wooden stand, with all the wares available packed neatly into baskets surrounding it, and a small cash register waiting to be used. The Moogle itself hovered about a foot from the ground, purple wings rising and falling lazily and almost blending in with the black coat. The red ball attached to its head almost looked like a balloon.

Em immediately branched away from Axel, curiosity sparking her interest at seeing the creature up close for the first time.

The Moogle turned around when her shadow fell over it, and it rubbed its hands together almost a little conspiratorially. It’s voice was a mixture of a chew toy and a child’s when it spoke. 

“Today’s your lucky day, Miss. I’m having a buy one get one half-off sale on all items, kupo!”

“Oh cool, what d’ya got?” She asked as she was already midway into reaching for something, her impulse control having never gone off the fritz since she’s been here. And nevermind the fact that she had  _ money _ and not  _ munny _ , she had just always wondered what all the items a Moogle sold looked like.

The potions were the easiest things to recognize and the last thing she wanted to touch. At this point, Emryn believed that she was capable of sensing a vial of green, nasty,  _ painful _ liquid from a mile away. There was now a permanent loathing in her heart for the items that were supposedly capable of curing ailments. 

Her eyes wandered over a basket full of different orbs. Each was colored differently, and faintly glowed.

‘ _ Huh, it’s kind of like Materia, _ ’ she mused, picking up a dusty blue sphere. ‘ _ These must be the spells then. This one’s probably Blizzard, and the larger ones must be the upgrades, Blizzara and Blizzaga. _ ’

There were others as well, like Fire, Aero, Thunder, even Cure. The Moogle had everything covered. Too bad she had no idea how to use them. And even if she did, she had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to anyways. Regardless of her supposed evolution, it didn’t mean she’d just be able to start using magic all willy-nilly. 

Em put the magic ball down and moved along to inspect the ability augmenting wares. Most of them were rings, but there were a couple chain necklaces and bracelets thrown in as well. She picked up one of the chains, admiring the circular pendant, the jewel in the center resembling a green cat’s eye, gleaming mysteriously in the light.

“Oo, an excellent choice!” The Moogle hovered over her shoulder, eagerly moving into a sales pitch. “That charm is the best if you are looking for something in defense. It strengthens one’s fortitude, and the stone itself glows in the dark.”

“Wow, that is neat. How much does it cost?” She regretted asking as soon as the question left her mouth. She made it sound like she was a serious buyer! What could she buy with a couple hundred in euros and a plastic card?! 

What  _ would _ a Moogle accept with a couple hundred euros and a plastic card?

Before she could even begin to pursue that line of thought, her hopes were dashed to smithereens.

“4,000 munny.”

Suddenly the charm wasn’t all that neat. 

To be fair though, the Moogle had said it was the best. The better the product, the more freaky expensive it was going to be. And there was no way in hell she was going to even begin trying to convert money into munny. She had problems trying figure out American money into European money! ( _ Who was she kidding, she just had problems trying to math. _ )

Emryn exhaled heavily, slowly returning it to the basket. She turned to the Moogle and ducked her head apologizingly. “I’ll have to come back and get it when I, er, actually have  _ munny _ . I kind of only have currency from my world on me, and trust me, it’s different from everywhere else.”

The Moogle drooped and guilt flooded the young woman. She quickly stood up and hurried over to the sofas, one of which Axel was lounging on and pretending to take a nap. Sinking into a chair, Emryn pretended that she hadn’t set herself up for that either.

“Way to go,” Axel mumbled. “You just destroyed our Moogle’s wildest hopes and dreams.”

She sighed dramatically, placing a hand to her cheek. “What can I say? I’m a natural.”

The silence lapsed again, but it wasn’t particularly comfortable. After a few more seconds of enduring it, Emryn pulled out her phone and put Fall Out Boy back on, sticking it on the table so the sound bounced better. 

It had struck her as odd, when she had first checked her phone after the events in Wonderland, how it wasn’t even dead yet. The thing shouldn’t have even been  _ on _ with how long it had been, yet the battery hadn’t moved from the seventy-six percent it had been at in her world. In fact, the entire thing seemed to be somewhat frozen. Most of her apps would open, but not load, and she wasn’t able to send or receive messages. The same went for making or receiving calls, so she had no idea what was going on back home, if anybody had tried to reach her. The weirdest thing of all, though, was the time.

The clock was frozen thirteen minutes after one. Just like―

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of pounding feet. Emryn looked up just as Demyx practically slid through the entryway, windmilling his arms wildly in an effort to keep himself from falling over. He came to a complete stop by ramming into a chair. He wasted only a couple seconds regaining his breath, before straightening and pointing at her phone in triumph.

“Ha! I finally found it!”

“Found what, exactly? Your motivation to actually do your work?” Axel hadn’t even bothered to open his eyes, even going so far as to stifle a yawn. 

Demyx shot him a dirty look before returning his attention towards the device. Stepping around the chair, he approached the table and got down on his knees. Emryn raised a brow quizzically. That was a pretty awestruck look on his face. Though could she really say she was surprised? It was portable music and Fall Out Boy― both concepts she was fairly certain the teen wasn’t familiar with. 

“I’ve been hearing this all over the castle, and now I’ve found it!” he whispered, almost reverently.

Emryn stifled a snort. She leaned forward, grinning quirkily. “The band’s called Fall Out Boy, in case you’re wondering.”

Wide, vibrant teal eyes turned towards her, and Demyx gave a single nod in acceptance. It was then that she knew he was a goner. He had been entranced by the Fall Out Boy, he would want more of the Fall Out Boy, he would become  _ one _ with the Fall Out Boy. Demyx was stepping into the world of Scene music, and things would only continue to escalate from there once he found out about Panic! At The Disco. 

Oh, she was going to have so much fun with this.

“You’re the Oracle, right?” he asked.

“I really don’t like that title, but yeah, I guess I am now.” If only she hadn’t screwed herself over, then maybe she would be able to give herself a semi-normal introduction. Oh well. 

“Ack, sorry! I didn’t know your name or anything so I just kinda rolled with the Oracle.” Oh gosh, he was just super cute when he panicked. And man, did he make things too easy for her. There was an emphasis on ‘ _ semi-normal’ _ when it came to introducing herself, after all.

Her grin widened. “Hi, I’m Michael with a B, and I’ve had a lifelong fear of insects.”

She thought she heard Axel groan something along the lines of ‘ _ here we go again _ ’, which only served to further her amusement. Demyx opened his mouth to respond, only to suddenly stop and furrow his brow. Her cheeks were starting to hurt the longer he tried to do the math and figure out how a B fit into Michael. 

“Wait, Michael? With a B? Where’s the B?”

Her voice pitched awkwardly and she practically flung herself against the couch. “ _ There’s a bee? _ ”

It took Demyx a while to actually catch the joke and understand why Emryn was slowly suffocating herself via laughter, and when he did then he was laughing too. 

“Are you going to introduce yourself like that to everyone?” Axel asked once she had managed to stop dying for two seconds. 

“Psh, what do you take me for?” She paused and the redhead opened an eye, spelling out his blatant disbelief as he waited for her to finish. “ _ Of course _ I’m going to introduce myself like that to everyone.”

He rolled his eye as he shut it again. “Whatever. Knock yourself out.” But he was smiling too.

Emryn snickered. “I will.”

* * *

 

_ Log 1: I’m Confused  _

_ Let’s start of with the most confusing thing, shall we? First and foremost, magic?? Exists?? _

 

  * __Also, apparently everyone has it programmed into their DNA?? But, like, I was without it, and suddenly I had it, but it’s a really screwed up trait now because it was almost extinct or something? I― can a gene for magic go extinct?__


  * _Science_


  * _And math_


  * _A mirror sucked me up and spat me into a new world?_


  * _It was Tim Burton’s Wonderland? Why? I mean, I like that version more than the cartoon one, but still. Why?? Am I supposed to be a cliché?_


  * _There was a creepy/cool clock and a voice that sounded like mine but wasn’t? And something about striking a boundary’s fall? What boundary? Why did it have to fall? Why did I have to be the one to take the ‘Road’ that went beyond it?_


  * _1:13_


  * _And then suddenly Kingdom Hearts happens? Axel was there and he did the thing I specifically told him not to do. Traitor._


  * _“So this is how it begins?” Mansex, what do you mean by this?! EXPLAIN!_


  * _Everyone keeps calling me the Oracle. This isn’t really confusing, but still. WHY._


  * _“Don’t forget, you promised.” DREAMSELF, WHAT DO YOU MEAN I PROMISED? PROMISED WHAT?!_


  * _Also, how do I turn off my inner Chunk? I need to shut up before I accidentally give away the fucking plot of this game._


  * _Speaking of, how am I supposed to get around explaining away my knowledge? I just― I have this really bad feeling that if I give away the fact that I’m a) not the only one that knows the plot and b)they are actually a very popular game in my world then it’ll drive them to try and find my home? And if they do that then Darkness will raid it and all hell will break loose. I don’t― I just― I feel really paranoid about this for some reason…_


  * _How do I get out of here?_



 

_ Things that I am not confused about and glad about it: _

 

  * __Frank is a good Dusk.__


  * _Demyx is pure._


  * _Roxas is extremely pure. (He seriously thought my name was Michael with a B. Bless him.)_


  * _If I die, it’ll be because of them. And I’m okay with that._



 

_ I’m gonna have to come up with a better chart to tackle all of that confusion though. With all the free time I suddenly have on my hands (this place is so fucking boring, god help me), then there’s not much to stop me from trying to untangle the disaster that’s this mystery. And even though you’re just a journal, I’m gonna need you to pray for me, both to shut up and to survive this insanity. (ಥ_ಥ) Rest in pieces, me. _


	5. Odium and False Paramnesia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which not all things found are good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Since I don't know who all's played Union Cross, I'm just gonna set this here and say that there are some light (?) spoilers for it in this chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: References to The Adventure Zone are in this chapter.

_ Log 1.5: So here’s the deal… _

_ So last time I established that I was confused. That is still very much in effect. But there’s more to it. Not only am I thoroughly confused, but I’m still very much doubting my sanity. So you, beloved journal, are going to be my clarity for the next who knows how long. (Of course, you, knowing me, know that my notes are going to be hella sporadic, considering that I can’t even be consistent with how I write stories in you…) And as my source of clarity, you will also be my attempt at proving that everything happening to me now is not just some product of a broken psyche.  _

_ Aside from that, I’m really gonna need some form of venting closure, since I can’t just turn to the nearest Organization member and say what’s bothering me. I also can’t look towards Cho to support me with a sarcastic ‘bright side’ comment either. (On the bright side though― ha ha ―I know her well enough that I can imagine what she’d say if she were here.) I’m hoping this will help me in my endeavors to not be a walking spoiler alert.  _

_ Are we rationalized? We are rationalized. _

_ Alright, let’s end here and clear the way for log 2. _

_ = = = = _

_ Log 2: Okay, Time To Be Serious _

_ Time to get linear, my dude. And by linear, I mean it’s time to suffer by doing math with timelines.  _

_ Kill me now. _

_ Okay, so! I’ve narrowed it down to a specific game, at the very least. Since all Organization members are alive and Roxas is still fairly new, then it’s safe to say that I’m in Days. Also, referring to the fact that everyone is alive, and present, it’s safe to assume that I came in sometime before the mission to Castle Oblivion. If I had the manga, or my DS, then things would be so much easier to comprehend. I would be able to accurately place myself since the days in Days are so conveniently labeled... _

_ But I don’t, so moving on! _

_ I think I’m actually nearing the intro to COM. Unfortunately, I can’t just ask when they’re gonna send people on that mission to root out possible traitors. That goes against the whole “low-key” agenda I’m trying to achieve. (Even though I’m pretty sure I’ve already ruined my chances of ever being low-key. Rest in pieces, me.)  Again, if I had one of the above at my disposal then this whole pinpointing thing would be a hell of a lot easier. _

_ I know Roxas keeps a journal of his own, and that he conveniently labels the days in that too, but asking for that would be waaaay too awkward of a conversation. Plus, I know Axel, specifically, finds me knowing particular minor details creepy. He may not have said it out loud, but he’s made little disconcerted faces every time I’ve said something.  _

_ Despite how much I love Axel’s character, I really can’t be too loose with him. I know I’ve been dumb with my whole speaking before thinking problem, but I’d like to think I’m not  _ stupid _. I mean, Axel serves himself. Yeah, he acts accordingly with other members, and even Xemnas, but it’s even said in his character introduction that he is an assassin with his own motives. He’s only ever genuine around Roxas.  _

_ And since everyone thinks I’m some kind of “Oracle” then they’re all gonna either a) expect me to be dropping them some heavy pointers, or b) expect me to be tight-lipped so they send in a spy to get info out of me. Considering that Axel’s been stuck to me like glue whenever he’s not running a mission, I’m gonna take a wild guess and say that they’ve gone with option B. I can’t lie to him, but trying to be a step ahead of him so he can’t pull the rug out from under me is going to be fucking exhausting. _

_ Gah, if I was getting paid, then I’d say that I don’t get paid enough to put up with this shit... _

_ = = = = _

_ Log 3: I Hate Other Dream Me. _

_ You know how dreams have certain qualities to ‘em? Like, it just has a specific type of feeling that falls under some subcategory of nostalgic, and it’s there when you wake up? I had another dream walking along an empty dirt road again, and there was one of those ‘feelings _ ’  _ filling it. Or maybe it was more like a couple different feelings smashed together. That would explain things better than just saying it was an unexplainable feeling.  _

_ I think I still have a list of those emotions people feel, but can’t explain saved to my phone. Maybe some of those will fit what I’m trying to get at… _

 

  * __Monachopsis: The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.__


  * _Kenopsia: The eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people, but is now abandoned and quiet._


  * _Occhiolism: The awareness of the smallness of your perspective._



 

_ It was incredibly potent, and I can still feel it now, even just thinking about it. And all I was doing was walking. I think there was something I was trying to catch up with, but I can’t remember what specifically. It wasn’t necessarily a destination or a person, but more like a concept. It had something to do with Other Dream Me. _

_ Speaking of, Other Dream Me is a real pain in the ass. She’s full of nothing but cryptic messages, and she thinks she’s funny, too. A total pushover, if you ask me. “Look at me, I sound like an all powerful entity and can do this cool magic trick where I disappear into the scenery. Wheeee!” Puh-lease.  _

_ Okay, so, setting the scene: _

_ There I was, walking along a dirt road. The grass was long, lush, and full of clovers, as well as dandelions. Just looking at it and you know it’s soft, the kind that’s just perfect for napping on or running your hand across for no particular reason. This goes on for as far as the eye can see on either side. The sun is high in the sky, giving off that not-quite-summer heat, while a gentle breeze occasionally danced by. Still a ways off was the copse of trees. _

_ As I looked around, the scenery sort of shimmered. Well, maybe shimmer isn’t really the correct description. It’s more like, when I looked at certain spots from just the right angle, the sunlight would catch on what looked like cracks in the air. Thinking on it now, it reminded me a lot of “The Last Mimzy”, how Noah could see these moving lines of light forming geometric patterns in his surroundings after looking at the Green Card.  _

_ And then I saw her, laying down in the grass and wishing on a dandelion. Not gonna lie, it was weird as hell seeing myself. Again. Like, it’s one thing to see yourself in a reflection, and a  _ completely _ different ball park to see a physical/3D representation of yourself.  _

_ She didn’t look at me as she said, “Once upon a time, mankind willingly danced with the fairy tales that lived deep within their bones. But mankind was flawed. They feared what they were never meant to control, so they turned away, blind and deaf to the calls of otherworldly wonders.” _

_ (See? Cryptic and overkill. I mean, if she just wanted to tell me about magic― ‘cause that’s what I gathered she was doing ―then she could have just laid it out for me normally.)  _

_ The dandelion seeds danced on the breeze, swirling around me. For a moment, I could have sworn I heard singing. _

_ “But not everyone could ignore the calls.” Her voice became a whisper, and she opened her eyes. “Even as time erased the truth from their minds, there were still a few that were inspired to dance and walk with the unknown. And so, where there was a will, there was a Road.” _

_ (Alright, alright, I’ll admit that the poetic way Other Dream Me put things was something I could appreciate. BUT― and that is a very big but ―sometimes I just don’t have the patience to sift through the dramatic subtext to find the deeper meanings. Can you blame me, though? I’m struggling to comprehend that magic is very much a real thing, and here she goes, throwing the prologue to a fantasy story at me. Ain’t nobody got time for that.) _

_ “That’s all well and said,” I began, with no small amount of patience I might add, “but what does this have to do with  _ me _? I didn’t exactly hear any of these ‘calls’, and I sure as ― didn’t sign up for this.” _

_ (Oh yeah, and apparently my dreams get censored too. Imagine my delight when I found that out. Ugh.) _

_ While I was busy trying not to rip my hair out at my newfound discovery of yet  _ another _ case of censorship, Other Dream Me sat up. She shook her head in disappointment. “I told you not to forget, but it seems that  _ that _ warning was completely thrown out the window.” _

_ “Don’t forget  _ what _?! That statement is about as useless as a ― remembrall; I can’t remember ― if I don’t even know what it is I’m supposed to be remembering! And why the ― can’t I swear?!” _

_ I would have punched myself just to wipe that cunning grin off my face. Yes. I, Emryn Mallory Chae, would literally fight myself. _

_ “No one can remember for you. If you want an answer, then I suggest you start asking yourself what it is you’ve forgotten.” She was standing up now, and she had the nerve to be  _ chuckling _. “And as for your lack of voice on some words― think of it as a magical incentive to be more creative. Your words are important, after all.” _

_ (As if I’m not creative enough! I can be vulgar and creative, and I can be vanilla and creative and still get my point across! That was practically a declaration of war. And by all things good, I will find a way around that stupid ‘magical incentive’, just so I can say that I said the fuck word out loud in a Disney universe.) _

_ Other Dream Me was walking away now. I noticed, then, that her body was made of the same shifting shards as the world around me. She began to fade into the surroundings.  _

_ As she walked on, she called back, “There is always more than one road that leads to the answer, it’s just a matter of which you take to get there. Don’t forget that, either.” _

_And then she just fucking vanished like the avatar when the world needed her most. Un-freaking-believable. Like, I know dreamselves are meant to represent how one acts and such, but I am_ not that _dramatic. I may have my moments, but that is all!_

_ It’s so annoying! Just like Axel, who is about to get a pen in his eye if he doesn’t stop reading over my shoulder in the next two seconds― _

“Wow, rude.” Said person responded, though any trace of offense in his voice was overruled by a little chuckle. “I was just trying to see what had you so focused and reclusive that it made you sit like a possessive, miserly goblin afraid of someone stealing your precious treasure.”

Emryn squinted at him suspiciously, a rather vivid image of Gollum coming to mind with the description. “That was oddly specific.”

“You bore a striking resemblance to this one guy I saw.” He shrugged, leaning a little closer over the couch to try and sneak a better look at the journal in her lap. “Anyway, why’d you stop on my account? Things were just getting good. I wanna know more about this dreamself of yours.”

A frown pulled at the corners of her mouth, and she shut the book with a quick flick of her wrist. “It’s the first rough draft of something I’m working on. I really don’t like it when people read those. Another thing I don’t like is when people  _ hover _ and read over my shoulder.”

Axel stared at her for a moment, before turning and looking over his shoulder, then pointed at himself. “Who?  _ Me _ ? I would  _ never _ do something like that.”

She deadpanned. Before the staring contest could drag on, before she could even  _ blink _ , Axel had leaned even closer and snatched the journal from her lap. Emryn inhaled sharply and immediately lurched after him. She made a grab for the journal, but Axel was a tall guy. Tall guys had long arms. Emryn was no match for long arms.

He opened the journal, flipping to a random page. Clearing his throat, Axel began to read a passage out loud, much to her growing horror.

“ _ ‘You’re wrong,’ Cordolium cried, her tears turning to ink as they fell upon the soft bristles of the Locution Pen. ‘My husband dreamed of nothing but words spoken into infinite space, glittering with a heavy beauty which bore no shame. And I will not let his dream go unfulfilled!’  _ ”

Emryn couldn’t tell if the blood was draining from her face, or boiling over in it. Was it possible for both to occur simultaneously? All she really knew was now her heart rate had doubled since the moment the stubborn redhead had opened his mouth, and now it was trying to beat its way out of her chest. No one was supposed to have seen those words, let alone  _ hear  _ them, before she had had a chance to clean them up and fix the flow! And now everyone that was present in the Grey Area― One-eyed Willy, President Stick-Up-My-Ass, Do the Windy Thing John, and Sexually Attracted to Gambling ―had been exposed to a pivotal plot point in a story without any pre-context! And without even just a little pre-context, then it was just going to sound even  _ more _ awful and then she’d have to backtrack to explain, which would then devolve into a train wreck as she went off on several other tangents to explain one fucking thing, before completely falling off the wagon as a new idea would occur to her and―

“That was seriously intense. I think I’m gonna need to actually read this to see who this Cordolium is and why she’s desperate to fulfill her husband’s dream. How many pages do I need to go back?” Bright green eyes flicked towards her, and if she hadn’t been so busy panicking, she might have noticed they were colored impressed. 

Em practically flung herself over the couch to snatch the journal away from him before he could try playing Russian Roulette to answer his question, hissing as she dragged herself back up and over it again. She hugged the book close to her chest, glaring.

“What happened to the strict policy privacy?” she demanded. “And you can’t read anymore! It’s not good enough for critical evaluation yet!”

Axel frowned. “You’re kidding, right? I’ve read a lot of stuff in these last boring ten years, and there’s only been a few things that caught my attention like  _ that _ . Tell me what that story’s about, I wanna know!”

“No.”

“Please?”

“Your request has been  _ denied _ .”

“Oh come on! Why not?”

Emryn turned away from him and shoved the journal into her bag. She hated having to explain her reasoning for not sharing her stories right away. It always sounded too trivial the moment the words left her mouth, and it made her feel foolish. “The only one that gets to participate in Plot Talks is Cho, since she can actually tolerate my long windedness. ‘Cause once I get started, then we’ll be sitting here for  _ hours _ . 

“And eventually, you’ll either get bored of my pitiful attempts at explaining that story, or you’ll get annoyed with me for constantly shutting down as I try to remember what it was I was going to say next, or for constantly repeating myself. Then, once we finally manage to get past the convoluted plot, you’ll wonder why it is you found that one particular passage was so good, when the rest of the rough draft is absolute  _ garbage _ ―”

“Whoa, whoa! Settle down.” A hand touched her shoulder, and she stiffened at the contact. Emryn relaxed just as quickly, though, realizing that she had been getting carried away.  _ Again _ .

‘ _ I seriously need to invest in some duct tape. Maybe I should talk to the Moogle about getting me some,’  _ she thought, placing a hand to her burning cheek.

Axel sighed, walking around the couch and settling himself on the arm. He eyed the bag she’d stuffed the journal in, eventually moving that sharp gaze over to her. Emryn almost shivered from the calculative intensity burning in those green eyes. Even when she had been half delirious with pure, poisonous magic and a conconcussion, she had been spot on when she had said she had never seen such a clear contrast between his hair and his eyes. Vibrant, scarlet hair that grew like a wild mane; pointed green eyes that were oddly illuminated, yet sang with life. It was beautiful.

He was like a piece of the painted garden, but alive and flourishing. 

She blinked, snapping out of the trance. Of course, she had always thought that Axel was an unfairly beautiful guy ( _ who was she kidding, everyone in this game was unfairly beautiful) _ , but it was only further emphasized by seeing it in person. There was no reason she should be letting it distract her right now, though.

His attitude shifted, after allowing a moment of silence to pass. Emryn sensed he was going to let sleeping dogs lie for now, and that this conversation was due for a change in topic.

“So I’ve been wondering―”

“That can’t be good for your health.”

He ignored her. “How does the Oracle business work, exactly? Do you have to pray to a god or something to see the future? Or is it knowledge that gets passed down from generation to generation, like priestess keepers?”

Well shit, if those weren’t the questions she wanted answers to as well. She still hadn’t thought up a decent explanation for her foreknowledge, even knowing someone was bound to bring it up. Could she get away with using the Foretellers from Union Cross’ background story? No, that might trigger more questions, and she didn’t want to happen. Something had to be said soon, though, or the silence would become suspicious.

Emryn leaned back with a heavy sigh. “What you’re asking for is the simple kind of answer that goes to fairy tales that start off with ‘Once upon a time’. And those are for worlds that actually believe in magic.”

She paused for a moment, contemplating the best way to proceed next. From what she knew about Oracles― most of it coming from all the times she’d gone on mythological sprees ―they were, as Zexion had put it, messengers of the gods. They were “blessed” with visions of mostly the future, and were more often than not vague and cryptic when delivering their message to whoever sought them out. It put her in the position to use religion as a cover, especially since Axel  _ had _ brought it up, but considering how many religions there were back home, then it was a headache she was better off avoiding.

Perhaps the best course of action would be to use her ignorance to stretch and mold various truths together. After all, the best lie was often based on the truth.

“Up until recently,” she began carefully, “I didn’t think magic existed. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it now. Magic, for me― for everyone, really ―was just a bunch of cheap parlor tricks meant entertain kids and swindle away your money. We couldn’t summon weapons from nothing, cast spells, or believe in the existence of other worlds. And generally, we looked down on those that claimed they knew the future. Called them crazy, even.”

‘ _ Because we fear what we cannot understand. _ ’ Emryn suppressed a shudder, the thought sounding eerily similar to something her other dreamself had said.

He thought about it for a moment, mulling it over before he responded.

“So then you never actually knew you possessed foresight. You must have just thought you were good at guessing stuff, didn’t ya?” On the inside, Emryn was pulling a victory pose at successfully having managed to get Axel to take the bait. On the outside, she nodded, even reciprocating his teasing smirk a little.

“Good at guessing, and imagining.” Her attention briefly wandered towards the bag still in her lap. There was a sense of inspiration building up within her. “Everything about this universe, I thought of as just a story. You, Roxas, everyone― you were all just characters in the thick of a plot.”

A good, short, sweet explanation. It didn’t raise too many questions ( _ that she could think of, anyway) _ , and it would hopefully be enough to tide him over. 

A light bulb seemed to go off in Axel’s mind, and he plopped a fist into his hand. “So that’s how it works. You get things you think are ideas for a story, but it turns out that you’re writing about the future of some other world. That’s why you act uncomfortable when we call you an Oracle― you just thought you were being a writer.”

She could practically see the massive equations forming around her head, calculating the risks she was taking by confirming his speculations. Somewhere amongst the numerical jargon were flashing words that vaguely resembled ‘ _ copyright infringement _ ’, as she responded uncertainly with a, “ _ Ye...es? _ ”

Oh man, she seriously hoped that Nomura didn’t have some sort of freaky sixth sense for knowing when someone was trying to claim his work. She didn’t need him trying to sue her ass the moment she managed to set foot back in her home world. 

_ If _ she could get back…

“And what, exactly, does this story have to say of our future, dear writer?” Em’s eyes narrowed upon hearing the smooth, almost charismatically laid back voice. To her left, Axel muttered something about subtlety and the lack thereof under his breath. Slowly, she turned to look in the direction the question had come from, doing her utmost best to try and not look too disgusted once she finally faced the man who had earned the title of the  _ Graceful Assassin _ .

Marluxia was in the midst of settling himself onto the opposing sofa, his attention never wavering from her. Behind him was Larxene, leaning against the sofa and favoring an interest in her fingers over the conversation.

_ Ugh _ . Those two were the runner ups for being the next Dinklebergs of this universe― if Xehanort hadn’t already beaten them to the pitch, that was. She just couldn’t  _ stand  _ them. Larxene being a bitch aside, it was Marluxia that she disliked the most. His abusive treatment towards Naminé was atrocious, and his lofty personality was nerve-grating and similar to Xemnas’, but it was the possibility of what he had done when he was a Somebody that really set her on edge. 

Emryn crossed her arms over her bag, keeping it tightly pressed against her.

She knew of all but four of the Organization members names from when they were a Somebody. Despite that, it was pretty easy to just swap some letters around in order to come up with something that sounded like an acceptable name. For Demyx there was either Myde or Dyme, the latter of which she preferred more, and for Larxene there was Arlene, and Luxord had Ruldo. But for Marluxia, she had some major suspicions about his identity, all of them pointing towards a character that also appeared in the Union Cross game.

‘ _ Even if it hasn’t been confirmed, I’m pretty sure he’s Lauriam _ .’

“Oh come on, Marly. Don’t tell me you actually  _ believe _ in all that Oracle crap.” Larxene scoffed and threw her hand to the side. She turned around and pinned Emryn with a skeptical sneer. “Just because she happened to have a couple names on hand doesn’t mean anything. That little girl probably doesn’t even know the first thing about the past  _ or  _ the future.”  

Her nails were beginning to dig into her skin. She’d forgotten how annoying the grasshopper woman really was.

“You make it sound like I’m supposed to know everything.” Em barely managed to bite out the words without letting her temper speak for her― she  _ hated _ it when people accused her of that. “But I’ve never heard of a writer who had every last little detail of their story figured out. Unless, that is to say, you have?”

Larxene’s expression twisted, as if something sour had just been shoved in her mouth. The woman glared at her, but refrained from spitting out a scathing remark, oddly enough. If it weren’t for the quick way her eyes had darted towards Marluxia, Emryn wouldn’t have been able to guess the reason why. Larxene was quick to irritate or anger, never failing to loose her sharp tongue when it counted, but if she was deferring to Marluxia in this instance, then something was clearly up.

Knowing that these two were plotting to overthrow Xemnas and put the Organization in their control, then it wouldn’t be far fetched to think they’d want to monopolize her “powers”. They’d try do it with Sora for the sake of possessing the power of the keyblade, why not do it to her as well for the sake of possessing knowledge of the future?

The corners of Marluxia’s mouth twitched, and an uncomfortable chill spidered down her spine. 

She detested the thought of being his tool, nearly as much as she hated the fact that the Organization had already claimed her as one. It made her want to rant, to vent all the reasons they were wrong―  _ hell _ , with the way she argued, she could write a frickin’ dissertation and  _ still _ have more to say in order to get her point across. Emryn didn’t  _ want _ to stand for being a pawn that was handed from person to person, and yet it was like she didn’t have a choice! The only way she was capable of genuinely fighting back, was with her knowledge and her words, but she couldn’t even use those.

She had trapped herself in a small box, and the walls were continuing to close in on her.

Her hands ached the tighter she balled them up.

Aside from his momentary, tiny slip of emotion, Marluxia’s expression remained impassive. Unnerving as that was, Emryn desperately fought with herself to maintain her composure. She wasn’t going to let anything slip; no hints, no taunts, no feelings or otherwise. Nothing. 

“You’re quite spirited, aren’t you?” he remarked cooly. “And even in the silence you try to hide in, I can tell you’re rather opinionated.”

Even though he said it as if it had only occurred to him offhandedly, Em just  _ knew _ he was insulting her. Her mouth was opening, and words were spilling out before she could really process what she was saying. ( _ So much for not slipping up. _ )

“Better that I’m opinionated than an ambitious murderer,” she spat lowly. 

Everyone, even those that were just listening in on the conversation, stiffened. The words hung in the air like an anvil waiting to be dropped on their heads. Emryn sat there, mortified, and wondered just where she went wrong in life to have led her to be in this specific moment.

She hadn’t meant to call out Marluxia. At least, this was definitely not how she imagined a moment like this going down. In the future, he may not have personally gotten his hands dirty, but his sway in the scheme of Vexen’s death still tainted them. He had even been willing to use Naminé as a human shield, for hell’s sake! But because that hadn’t happened yet, then it couldn’t count as justification for what she had said  _ now _ . 

Marluxia’s past was also another matter. His identity as a Somebody had yet to be confirmed, despite the similarities between him and Lauriam being obvious enough to be blinding. The little room for doubt she had concerning canonical evidence was also extended to Lauriam’s integrity for being one of the five chosen by Master Ava to be the new Union Leaders. Between him and one other,  _ someone _ was the fake. And as a result, someone had also killed the real person meant to be the last Union Leader.

The light in Marluxia’s eyes became more alert, and he regarded her carefully. “If you are referring to the deeds of a Somebody as a ploy to faze me, then I must remind you that it is an attack that falls flat. Nobodies can’t feel guilty for things they’ve done. 

“Nobodies can’t feel a thing.”

It was like a bucket of ice cold water had been poured over her. She couldn’t believe it. Did… Did Marluxia just admit…?

“So you really did kill her…,” The words were heavy and numb as they rolled off her tongue. 

Marluxia was standing up now. His gaze was dead, cerulean eyes sweeping over her without a clue as to what was really behind them. He spoke indifferently, the callousness of his words striking her no differently than if he had slapped her. 

“And if I had, what would it matter?”

She couldn’t feel her hands anymore.

Whatever was left of her ire had been thrown in disarray. She could have yelled at Marluxia’s retreating figure, shouted veiled obscenities until her throat was raw, even tried to punch his lights out. She could have cried. She could have acted out in any way she wanted. And yet, she did nothing.

In the face of adversity, humans were driven by instinct before they were swayed by rationality.

But what was one supposed to do when even their emotions couldn’t get their shit together?

So wrapped up in her thoughts, which often erred and froze before completing themselves, was Emryn, that she barely noticed the hand on her arm pulling her out of her seat. It wasn’t until everything got darker, along with a sudden twinge from her leg, that Emryn became somewhat withdrawn from her stupor.

Axel was pulling her onward, his large hand firmly gripping her wrist. Around them, the walls of the Dark Corridor warped ‘round and ‘round, their poisonous shades condensing thickly together to form an oppressive, miasma like barrier. After glancing over his shoulder, Axel relinquished his hold on her, allowing her to walk on her own.

The young woman slowly found herself walking side by side with him, though her pace was no more than a distracted amble. Silence filtered through the air between them. It wasn’t comfortable, but it certainly wasn’t strained, either. Thoughtful, perhaps. Confused and uncertain, indefinitely. Emryn thought of saying something― an explanation or an excuse for her behavior, maybe ―but nothing that came to mind sounded acceptable. 

What was she supposed to tell him, anyway? That she got way too attached to people she’d never met, whose tragedies she took to heart and held grudges for them? Yeah, like that would make sense to him.

Before she could do anything, though, Axel broke through the quiet first.

“What was her name?” 

Emryn shot him a wide-eyed look, surprised thoughts clashing with her puzzlement. Axel reached up to scratch the back of his head. He leaned away from her just a little, occasionally glancing at her from the corner of his eye. 

“The girl Marluxia killed,” he clarified. “For you to make a face like that, I just figured… she must have meant a lot to you. So I thought I should memorize her name.”

She continued to stare at him. Was… was he trying to comfort her? The tension that had built up within her gradually began to soften at the thought. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and she looked ahead of her. For a guy that claimed he had no heart, Axel was really good at acting as if he had never been without one to begin with. 

“Because in people’s memories, you can live forever, right?” she asked softly. 

For the girl, who had died wishing she had had the chance to speak to the one she had watched from afar for so long, even just once, it was an honor well deserved.

“Her name,” Emryn breathed in deeply, “was Strelitzia.”

* * *

 

“Huh? Axel, what are you―?” Roxas blinked in surprise the moment he stepped foot onto the clock tower. “You brought Emryn too?”

The redhead grunted in response. “Yeah. Hey give me a hand here, will ya? She won’t hold still.”

“ _ Ow, that hurts! _ ”

The boy stepped around his friend to observe what was happening. Axel and Emryn were both sitting cross-legged near the lip of the railing, the former of the two wielding a vial of bright green liquid in one hand, and wrestling to hold down the latter’s hand with the other. Em’s face was colored bright red, with tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as she tried to wiggle out of Axel’s grasp. On her hand were four crimson crescent moons in a near uniform row. Her long nails were tinged with the color of rust.

Roxas frowned, dropping to his knees and grabbing her fingers to keep them out of the way, and her forearm to keep it stabilized as per direction of Axel. He looked between the two, asking, “What happened?”

Em glanced off to the side, pursing her lips. “I, er, got a little too irritated earlier.”

“ _ A little _ , she says,” Axel muttered. He brought the vial close to her hand and slowly tilted it. “I thought you were going to rip Marluxia’s head off at one point.”

Roxas nearly let go of Emryn just as the first drop of potion hit her cuts. ( _ Her knee jerk reaction was surprisingly strong! _ )

“You  _ what?! _ ” He didn’t interact with Marluxia often, so he couldn’t really say he knew what the guy was like, but surely he wasn’t  _ that _ bad. Was he?

Axel continued on. “You know, even if something gets under your skin, you shouldn’t show it. Stuff like that will just cause you more problems.”

“Well  _ excuse  _ me for not being a master of the resting  _ ―  _ face like  _ some _ people.” She hissed as more of the potion trickled onto her hand. “ _ Sonuva frickin’ hedgehog _ ! What the ― is this stuff made of?! It feels like you’re just dumping peroxide on me!”

“No clue. Now hold still.”

He poured a couple more drops before setting the vial down. The cuts on Emryn’s hand fizzed and bubbled, and slowly,  _ very  _ slowly, the skin began to knit itself together. Roxas let her go, eyeing her hand curiously. He had never seen anything heal this slow before. Well, actually, he’s never seen  _ anything _ heal. It just already was as soon as the potion was drinken. The fact that this wasn’t the same was kind of weird for him.

“How come you didn’t just drink it?” he asked.

Emryn deadpanned. “You want me sick? ‘Cause that’s how I’ll get sick.”

Roxas backed up a little, apologizing. She rolled her eyes, a lopsided grin taking over her face, and waved him off. Axel put away the rest of the potion, pulling out in its place a small plastic bag with three blue treats inside. Both he and Em perked up as they were each passed a frozen ( _ ahem, slightly melted _ ) dessert. While Roxas and Axel moved to sit on the ledge, Emryn remained firmly planted beside it, muttering something about not agreeing with heights.

As the blond bit into his ice cream and watched the sunset, he was struck by how nice this moment was. He couldn’t really put his finger on the why, though.

“Oh.” He turned to look at Emryn as she licked some of the melted ice cream from her hand. “This actually isn’t that bad. It’s kinda like french fries and shakes, but, you know, without the potatoes.”

“It’s sea salt in ice cream― of course there aren’t any potatoes in it,” Axel said. He took a large bite out of the side, looking Emryn directly in the eye the entire time. She cringed and turned away.

“Yeah, no dip Sherlock. I’m just saying that’s what it reminds me of.” Her words became somewhat incoherent as she tackled the popsicle without using her teeth. “And how can you just  _ bite _ into that without feeling like your teeth are going to freeze right off?”

His friend grinned. “Eh? Like this, of course.” He took another generous bite.

“ _ Heathen! _ ” Em balked and scooted away. 

Roxas snickered. Yeah, this was… nice. It was really nice. Sitting here, eating ice cream with Axel and Emryn, it filled him with a comfortable sensation. He wondered if this ease was something that was always there when one was in the company of friends. If it was, Roxas didn’t think he would mind feeling like this forever.

After a while, Axel leaned back with a sigh. “Man, I’m really gonna miss this thing we do.”

“Huh? Why?” The blond turned, his brows furrowing. He missed the way Emryn seemed to grow stiffer, his eyes solely trained on his friend.

“Well, starting tomorrow, I’ll be away on a mission. Don’t know how long it’s going to take, though.”

Suddenly, Emryn began to cough violently. Her face turned a brilliant shade of red, the color practically glowing in the light of the sunset, as she continued to hack and pound at her chest. 

“Sorry, I just―,” she wheezed between breathless fits, “I just― inhaled at the wrong―  _ time. _ ”

She waved them off and moved over to the wall. Roxas watched her in concern, but made no move to follow after her. While Emryn worked on not suffocating herself, Axel leaned in closer to him. Sharp green eyes trained themselves on the Oracle, a million thoughts visibly racing through them, yet all utterly unreadable. 

“While I’m away, I’d like you to do me a favor,” he began lowly. “Keep an eye on her, and pay close attention to the things she says, will ya? I have a feeling she’s likely to be more open with you.”

“How will I know what the important things are?”

“Everything and anything that stands out to you. Make sure to get it memorized.”

Roxas nodded and Axel returned the gesture. The man gave a loose grin, winking, and pulled away. He stood up then and stretched. “Well, I need to get back to the castle and ready things for tomorrow.” Axel opened a portal and walked over to Emryn. “You too, Miss Trouble.”

“Yeah, yeah.” The young woman coughed into her shoulder, though less severely now. She turned and waved to the boy. “See ya in a bit, Roxas.”

He waved back as the two disappeared into the portal. Turning to face the sunset again, Roxas quietly finished the rest of his ice cream. He wasn’t entirely certain how well he’d be able to fulfill Axel’s request; he was still inexperienced when it came to navigating the social setting, and he was still having troubles memorizing things. The other members were constantly having to repeat themselves to him, constantly referring to him as a zombie due to this very reason. But because this something Axel trusted him to do, then Roxas would willingly give his all to not disappoint.

The thought of Axel trusting him put a warm feeling in his chest. Unconsciously, Roxas placed his hand over the spot, savoring the buzzing sensation as he polished the last of the ice cream from the stick.

“Oh!”

He’d never seen anything written on these things before. The word “ _ winner _ ” was etched in a shade slightly darker than the stick itself, a little crown accompanying it at the end. He had no idea what it meant, though. What was he supposed to do with it? 

‘ _ I’ll ask Axel before he leaves _ ,’ he thought. For now, he would save it. Tucking the popsicle stick into his pocket, the boy stood and turned away from soothing scenery that was Twilight Town, disappearing into a void of darkness.

* * *

 

‘ _ I have made, _ ’ Cho cringed as cold water slowly inched up her leg, ‘ _ a mistake. _ ’

Slowly, the young woman edged forward through muddy water. The beams of various flashlights ahead and behind her waved wildly across the narrow walls of the tunnel. Cho’s own light was trained at the ground before her; a vain attempt to spot rocks before she tripped on them. On her left hand side was a lead, the reel one of the tour guides had brought, so they could find their way out of the catacombs when the time came. If Cho had stayed outside in the first place, she wouldn’t be wishing it was time to leave now. As it were, they would be down here for about another four hours.

Why on God’s green earth did she think this trip was a good idea?

“ _ Jedermann _ , keep up!” The call came from Brian, one of the two guides, who was leading the group’s procession. “We are not in the legally sanctioned area for tourism, so we can’t have anyone getting left behind and lost.”

Oh, yeah, and there was also that minor detail that bothered her.

The Mystery Haunts Tour was all about exploring what hadn’t been trampled on by society as a whole. Granted, there were still some places that acted like a hotspot for graffiti; these walls were a prime example. What was considered the legal tourist attraction of these catacombs, though still eerie and spooky, didn’t really hold the mystical vibe the tour was aiming for. ( _ She also suspected it was because no one wanted to fork over the cash to stand in line forever in order to see the attraction. _ ) Thus, Cho, and about nine others, had been inducted into the scandalous life of crime. 

Generally speaking, Cho was always up for something scandalous, but in this instance she wasn’t handling it very well. Not only had she made a mistake in coming down here, but the night before she had made the mistake of looking up one too many stories about people getting lost in the catacombs and finding…  _ things _ . Why she had been possessed to do that was beyond her― she  _ knew _ she couldn’t handle anything spooky ―but the results had left her with a sleepless night and frayed nerves. Throw in the heavy, persistent feeling of forgetfulness and the creepy discovery of the mysterious roommate she apparently had, and she had a recipe for the Anxious Cho Cocktail.

Cho tightened tightened her beige coat, raising her hand to her mouth so she could chew on the edge of her thumb. The slant of the floor began to tilt up bit by bit, and gradually the water receded until, eventually, she was back on dry ground. The tunnel rounded to the right, widening into a room with thick pillars and a whole other slew of tunnels. Everyone began pairing off and fanning out to examine various nooks and crannies. Seeing this made Cho incredibly hyper aware of the fact that she was on her own here.

Something scraped across the floor behind her. The sound was like a shotgun blast to her overworked nerves. She couldn’t help but jump, nearly belting out a scream. She clapped a hand over her mouth, her heart thudding heavily against her ribs.

“ _ Izvinite _ . Sorry!” A young man shuffled around her, mumbling rapid apologies with a sleepy voice. Despite the wide berth he tried to give her, she still caught a whiff of the ever poignant smell of skunk, which pretty much always clung to the guy known as Alec Utkin.  

She wrinkled her nose a little, dismissing his apologies with a quick, “ _ It’s okay _ .”, and a dip of her head. For whatever reason, being around Alec always managed to heighten her unease. It was strange, honestly, and thinking about it now was kind of confusing. She couldn’t remember what it was about him that put her on edge. They hardly ever talked to each other, but one time he had helped her get a bag off the luggage rack on the bus. Alec was a quiet guy, yet he always tried to help anyone out if they needed something.

Her brows creased together as she chased her thoughts around, trying to connect them. 

It had something to do with that smell.  _ Someone _ had told her that where there was the smell of skunk on a person, there was more than likely going to be weed involved. But that alone didn’t seem like enough to keep her away― not everyone that smoked the stuff was a bad person. That same person, though, was rather… distrustful? They didn’t trust other drug users because of someone else she knew, someone related to the stranger. Their… father?

Cho felt incredibly close to finding something. An outline of a person she knew and even loved; it was so close, she could almost touch it. She was so focused on chasing a memory that she never saw Alec backtracking, until he was right in front of her.

“ _ Jeebus _ Alec!” Cho wheezed, stepping back and knocking over a pile of loose stones. Her flashlight swung around crazily from where it hung on her wrist. It cast odd shadows on their surroundings. “You scared me!”

“ _ Izvinite _ . I just― I mean you were― Um, that is― I’m sorry.” The poor guy continued to stumble over his words, occasionally slipping from English to a more fluid language. ( _ Russian? He was Russian, wasn’t he? _ ) He reached up and slipped the beanie off his head, wringing it in his hands. Seeing him be more anxious than her, Cho couldn’t help but feel bad for the guy.

She held up her hands and waved them around a bit. “Hey, hey! It’s okay my dude. This one’s on me for spacing out. Just… don’t ever appear out of nowhere like that again, okay?”

Alec ceased his babbling, slowly nodding as her words sunk in. “Yes. ‘M sorry, again. I just― There was a question I’ve been meaning to ask you. I didn’t mean to... to scare you, or anything.”

“Huh? Was there something you needed?” Now that she looked at him, he seemed pretty stiff― the sort of frozen that came when one got too nervous to function properly. What if he also couldn’t handle being down in the catacombs either? Had he seen her, also uncomfortable as well as partnerless, and thought to reach out to her? Perhaps they could band together in order to overcome the creepiness of their surroundings, just this once. 

“Well, that is…,” he took a deep breath, “This might sound a-a little crazy, but um… Didn’t you… Didn’t you come here with someone?”

Her eyes widened. If she hadn’t been fighting with such strong feelings of having forgotten something important for the last day and a half, Cho probably would have brushed his question off as something he imagined. She was sociable with most everyone in the group, it wouldn’t have been hard to think she came with one of them. But ever since she had discovered those bags in her room last night…

She took another step back again. The rocks she had been standing on shifted haphazardly beneath her. Her balance abandoned ship with a sharp twist of her foot, and the next thing Cho knew was she was going down ( _ and definitely not yelling timber _ ).

Cho groaned. Her ankle was throbbing, rocks were trying to shove their way up her butt, and she was certain something had developed a new hole. On top of that, now Alec wouldn’t stop apologizing.

“What happened? What’s going on?” A dark skinned man appeared at Alec’s side, peering down at her in concern. “Cho, are you alright?”

“Magic Bryan,” she whined. Said man― who happened to be the second tour guide, also named Bryan, but with a Y ―knelt down and examined the foot she pointed to. Alec knelt down as well, still apologizing, but quieter now. As Bryan prodded her swelling ankle he made little grunting sounds, eventually slipping her foot out of the shoe and wrapping a spare handkerchief he kept in his back pocket around it.

“It appears that this goose is very much cooked, eh? We’ll have to go back to the surface to get that looked after. Alec, help us out, will you?” They each took a hand and pulled her upright. Bryan tossed his next call over his shoulder. “Nah, Brian, we’ll be going topside. Can you handle the rest from here?”

“ _ Ja _ . We’ll be fine. Go on.”

Bryan shook his head with a grin and began trudging back the way they came. 

‘ _ What a good guy. Bryan, my dude. Magic Bryan. Bryan with the hands of a master masseuse, sent from God on high. What did this world ever do to deserve such a pure guy like you?’ _ Cho internally praised the man of the hour, using it more like a distraction to cover up the fact that she was still reeling with questions and confusion. 

“So, what were you and  _ Herr  _ Utkin doing that ended in such disaster?” The teasing question was asked moments after they had entered the tunnel. Alec quietly mumbled a few more apologies, but the rest of his answer was lost under his breath.

Cho chuckled and put on her best impression of a 90’s anime villain. “Playing with sinister magiks of course,  _ fufufu. _ ”

Bryan’s head flew back, sending deep and raucous laughter booming through the tunnels. It washed over Cho, burying her unease.

And for a moment, she pretended there was nothing to worry about.

* * *

 

Water freely flowed forth in near freezing rivulets from the faucet, draining with loud gurgles. Sun tanned hands cupped together beneath the water, gathering the liquid until it nearly overflowed. The young man splashed the water across his face in an effort to bring more alertness to his senses.

Alec looked up, bleary, sleepless-bruised hazel eyes meeting his gaze in the mirror. Tiny droplets ran down his freckled face, clinging to the edges of wavy hair the color of flaxen seeds. His head was boring, colorless, even― said nosy little thoughts that stopped by whenever he chanced looking at his reflection. Sometimes Alec felt inclined to agree with those thoughts, but his therapist said he should always do otherwise. That was where the baby blue beanie came in. And banana colored hoodie with the orangish koi design, too. ‘ _ Fight colorless with colorful, _ ’ his therapist said.

He tried to fight colorless with colorful, he really did, but sometimes, it was just really  _ difficult _ .

Black. It was what remained in the lack of color. It  _ was _ no color. His thoughts would turn to black like milk curdling in the sun, eating at all the color he had managed to accumulate and turn it into poison in his mind. Eventually, it would overwhelm him, and he would begin to see nothing but black. Black was stress, and Alec never seemed to run out of it.

So when the stress was like the water in his hands― one drop away from spilling ―Alec would smoke. 

The drug was his last resort― he always did everything he could to relax before turning to it, but on really black days, he would cave quicker. In quiet places, he would sit and smoke, relaxing as each puff opened his mind to let in a little bit of color. 

( _ Sometimes he heard things. Voices, whispers, songs in languages he knew were spoken by no man today. _ )

But on this trip, his escape had been denied from him. All he had was the burnt smell that he could never fully wash out of his clothes. As of late, he didn’t even want that.

( _ Sometimes, he saw things. Hidden things. Lost things. Things that had long since been forgotten. It scared him. _ )

Alec sighed and looked away from his reflection. Water began to pool in his hands once again.

He had screwed up today. Black thoughts, confusion, distortion― too much smoking had put a lax on the limiter in his mind which told him what would be too much to say, or what was not enough. He had said too much. Too much apologizing. Too much stuttering. Too much in even a single question. He shouldn’t have said anything. 

‘ _ But we’re still here to bother you, _ ’ the black thoughts whispered. ‘ _ That girl never answered our question. We want to know, we want to know, we want to knoooow: Didn’t Cho come here with someone?’ _

_ ‘She couldn’t have come with anyone. Didn’t you see? She didn’t even know what I was talking about, _ ’ he countered. His therapist said it was good to counter the black thoughts. It was like standing up for himself.

‘ _ But what if she did?’ _ The memory of Cho’s thunderstruck look flashed in his mind. ‘ _ She never answered the question.’ _

‘ _ Well now I don’t want her to. In fact, I’d rather she just forget that I asked her anything in the first place. _ ’

Alec plunged his face into the water. The icy chill seemed to chase off the black thoughts, and he blindly reached for a towel. Movement from the mirror caught his attention. Blinking through the misty haze, hazel eyes met with slate grey.

A strangled yelp tore through the air as he scrambled away from the mirror. In his haste, his gangly legs couldn’t figure out which direction to take, and collided with each other, sending him sprawling backwards. As he fell, he saw the girl with faded red hair and rectangular glasses turn away from the mirror, before shimmering completely out of existence. 

He hit the ground shoulders first. Alec lied there, panting. His hands were trembling, his heart was thundering, and his mind was spinning. 

The reason he had wanted to stop smoking was because he didn’t want to see other things with his color. The reason he had asked Cho about a mystery person was because, even without the drugs, he was still seeing strange things. Did that make him crazy? Possibly. Did he want it to stop? Absolutely. But did that mean it would? Unfortunately, probably not.

Slowly, Alec picked himself off the floor. If he wanted to be certain of anything, then he was going to have to swallow down the rising ball of dread, and talk to Cho. He cast a hesitant glance at the mirror, and when only  _ his _ reflection looked back at him, did he make a move to leave.


	6. Top Ten Anime Betrayals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Frank witnesses the tail end of a murder.

Cho sat at an empty table with her right leg propped on the opposing chair, a melting bag of ice sagging on her sprained ankle, and her head resting heavily in her hand. After settling her back at their hostel, Magic Bryan had gone back out into the world to enjoy a little bit of the local scenery upon her insistence. Despite having probably gone down into those catacombs hundreds of times, Cho still felt bad for having made it so he was forced to leave early. That guy, along with his similarly named business partner, practically lived and breathed for the thrill of an adventure.

She sighed just thinking about the two tour guides.

Bryan and Brian, founders and operators of the Mystery Haunts Tour, were awesome people ( _ in her humble opinion _ ). They treated each other like brothers, despite having only known each other for five years, and were just as good at treating everyone else like they were part of the family. They were kind, honest, loud and wonderfully quirky.  _ Very, very quirky _ . Especially where their names were considered.

It had all started with Brian’s extreme fascination with spiders. The bigger they came, the more in love he seemed to be. Then there was Bryan’s excessive need to toy with his accent, making it higher in pitch and toying to resemble the stereotypical way Americans thought a German accent sounded like. But when the quotes started flying, Cho just  _ knew _ . She just  _ knew _ that these two fools for guides were trash, just like her. As a devoted ( _ borderline obsessive, someone had once said _ ) fan of The Adventure Zone, Cho had been one of the first to actually cotton on to the fact that those two very proudly assumed the roles of the main villains from the first chapter arc of the podcast, the dark elf, Magic Bryan, and the giant fucking spider, Spider Brian. The moment she had realized this had been a glorious one indeed. 

Together, those two were an inseparable duo, and Cho absolutely loved that about them.

And it was because of that very reason that Cho felt awful for choosing this very day, of all days, to be clumsy. It was one thing to separate the two in any other place, but here, in Paris, where they were supposed to explore maze like catacombs that even the  _ police _ were afraid to go into? Even if Magic Bryan was confident enough to leave Spider Brian alone to guide the group, he still couldn’t help but worry, and she could see that. Not only were the catacombs a dangerous place to be, but… even she wouldn’t want to be separated from her best friend, if she could help it.

Something about that thought left her uncomfortable. It was a sensation not unlike emptiness, yet it wasn’t quite that; a hollowness. A feeling so similar to that of being nothing, yet capable of being  _ something _ . It’s own little feeling. Where emptiness was vast, consuming and overwhelmingly limitless, hollowness was defined, ensnaring anyone and everyone in a cage shaped like their own body. There were walls, where hollowness was concerned. Emptiness was frightening, but hollowness… Hollowness was  _ maddening _ .

This madness pervaded her mind to mingle with persisting tangle of confusing mysteries, which had only begun haunting her since the day before, but were strong and insistent nonetheless. Alec’s question had kicked up dust in her mind, and the adventures of the day only served to further confuse her. 

How could she possibly forget coming here with someone? A detail like that would have been as obvious to her as a blinking neon light was in a lonely town during the dead of night. And how could everyone else forget this supposed travel buddy of hers as well? And just how was it that Alec,  _ of all people _ , was the only one who appeared to be aware and, seemingly, just as confused as she was about it?

Cho threaded her fingers through her hair, occasionally toying with the yellow headband she wore. Her shoulders sagged with a sigh. ‘ _ I wish something would just fall into place right about now. _ ’

Just as she began to close her eyes, the sound of hurried footsteps tromped down the stairs behind her. This was followed by a loud thump, a quiet but surprised yip, and an even louder crash as someone fell onto the landing. Cho whirled around in her seat, thinking, ‘ _ I didn’t mean it literally! _ ’ as her jaw dropped at the sight of Alec sprawled awkwardly, his lanky body spanning from the stairway to the floor. 

“ _ Oh my gob! _ Alec, are you alright?” Completely forgoing the fact that she wasn’t supposed to be on her feet, Cho twisted out of her seat like a snake maneuvaring to strike, the ice pack slipping and hitting the ground with a dull thunk. She hopped furiously towards the fallen man, her concern viciously screaming questions in her mind. He hadn’t broken anything, had he? Did he hit his head? Was he still  _ breathing _ ?!

Alec groaned, slowly pushing himself up from the floor, rubbing his face. A lovely red mark was revealed, starting at his forehead, then skipping to the bridge of his nose, and finally, jumping to an end on his chin. Cho hovered anxiously on standby, her hands fluttering uncertainly in a wide arc around him. 

“‘M fine. Sorry.” Alec continued rubbing his face as he stood up, causing his words to come out muffled. He blinked at her blearily for a couple seconds, before slowly adding, “You… shouldn’t be on your foot right now.”

“Alec, sweetie, I’m touched that you’re concerned about my foot,” she reached out to touch his arm, her face pinching in concern, “but you  _ literally just fell down the stairs _ . I think my foot will understand that I’m more worried about you than I am about it.”

He frowned, and for a moment Cho could clearly see his mind overload and shut down as he tried to comprehend the concept of her genuine concern being directed at him. The moment passed, and he blinked, dispelling his confusion to the back of his mind. He became a little more insistent in his pursuit to prioritize her well being over himself.

“You still shouldn’t be on it. You could increase the chance of worsening the injury, which can lead to muscle damage. Some muscle damage can’t be fixed, and that can lead to becoming permanently crippled…”

His anxious way of rambling struck a chord within her, and it was much closer to the surface than she expected it to be. Before she really understood what she was doing, her hands had stretched out and planted themselves on either side of Alec’s face. ( _ He was so thin, she couldn’t help but notice. _ ) The young man abruptly froze, uncertainty weaving between the calm, which slowly settled over him as the contact prolonged. 

She recognized the flighty twitch in his eyes, the refusal to meet her gaze battling the desire to look at her eye to eye, the almost guiltily apologetic look as he silently acknowledged that he had been rambling again. She  _ knew _ these little quirks, had dealt with them so often. And for a brief moment, as she looked into Alec’s rusted hazel eyes, a familiar pair of grey eyes stared back at her.

Cho blinked, and the illusion was dispelled. She realized, then, that she still had a grip on Alec’s face, and his skin was growing uncomfortably warm beneath them. As she struggled internally to maintain some semblance of a cool composure, the young woman hurried to take control of the situation, now that she had the man’s attention.

“Look, I’ve got some ice over there. Let’s get your head taken care of first, and then we can discuss muscle damage all you’d like.” Her grip shifted to his arm, and she began to lead him back to her table. Alec gave a single, slow nod, before following after her. He matched her pace, despite how awkward it made him look, in an effort to accommodate her limping gait. 

She watched him from the corner of her eye. ‘ _ Even though he’s hurt too, he’s still being so kind. That’s just so… sweet.’ _

Upon realizing this, Cho began to question what it was that had really held her back from ever trying to befriend Alec. He was so shy, and honestly, all he had ever done for her were nice things. Whatever it was she had been on to earlier, it didn’t seem like such a great excuse now. 

After settling Alec down, she ducked under the table and retrieved the fallen ice pack, popping back up and handing it to him. He took it with a quietly mumbled ‘ _ Spasibo _ ’, and Cho took a seat opposite of him. An intense silence lapsed between them. Cho found that, in this silence, she couldn’t bring herself to look directly at Alec, instead directing her attention towards the grainy textured of the hand carved table they sat at. Now that they had gotten to this point, she had no idea where to begin, and it seemed that Alec was just as uncertain about the matter as she was. In both their hesitation, an intense silence was born.

‘ _ With all the strange things happening, I don’t have a clear idea of what I want to address first. Should I bring up his question from earlier, and then mention how I think someone in the group has pulled a Vanished-Without-A-Trace act?’ _

Running her fingers over the rough wood, Cho chanced a look at the man in front of her. The first thing she noticed was his exhaustion. If someone were to just glance at Alec for a brief moment, simply in passing, they would have probably mistaken him for a ( _ poorly dressed _ ) punk. His lean posture was hunched and reclusively drawn in, giving off a moody, anti-social vibe, and the darkness around his eyes looked like eyeliner. But Cho, as she studied him intently, knew what anxiety and sleep deprivation looked like when she saw it.

Just from seeing him like this, she could tell that he probably stayed up most nights, thinking about everything, or possibly trying to not think at all. It weighed heavily on his features, which could have been beautiful, had been more adept at the art of self-care.

He strongly reminded her of someone, with that tired way he held himself.

“Hey, Alec…,” He looked up, causing her to hesitate for a split second. Cho clasped her hands together before diving in. “Why did you come on this trip?”

The young man startled at the question, almost drawing back, as if she had just accused him of something. Her eyes widened and she hurried to explain.

“I mean, everyone’s got a reason to be on this trip, right? And it just seems like you get spooked pretty easily― like me ―so I was just wondering why you’d come on a tour like this.”

Alec put the ice pack down, focusing on it as he played with the corners. Something about the way he avoided eye contact was saddening.

“I… This is, um…,” he took a deep breath, “You’ve probably already figured it out, but I’m not exactly… straight edged. I struggle with an addiction problem.

“This trip was my parents’ definition of rehab. They paid for me to come on this obscure trip as a form of separation from the drugs, and they figured that in the process, the ‘ghosts’ on this Mystery Haunts Tour would scare the addiction out of me.”

“But that’s not―!” Cho struggled to find the right thing to say, her hands curling into fists. “Why aren’t your parents here then? Why aren’t they helping you? If this is your rehab, then shouldn’t your parents be here to support you?”

He shrugged. “They said the only way I would change would be if I learned to fight my demons on my own. That’s just how it’s always been.”

She was torn between a sinking heart and a raging mind. How could his parents just  _ do that _ ? It was as good as abandoning him! She may not have known much about how rehab worked, but she knew that support was a key function of it. How was he supposed to know that anyone cared about his recovery if they didn’t show it somehow?

“That’s not a healthy way of fixing a problem.” She shook her head, frowning. “There’s someone I know whose dad is a drug addict. She told me that the key to changing was wanting to change in the first place. And when you have that, then you shouldn’t be afraid to look to the people you care about to support you in this decision. Especially if things get too difficult to do on your own.”

‘ _ Granted, that man wouldn’t change, even with his family practically begging him. Because he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong…’ _

Cho blinked, surprised with both what she had said, and thought. The words had come to her so easily, as if she had talked about this often. When she had thought of the person in question, there had been a clear image in her mind. But it was fading fast. All she could recall were pieces of a man; dark hair, sunken eyes, permanently sunbaked skin, skin and bones. A shell of someone who used to be better than he was now.

She didn’t know his name, though, nor the mystery person who was related to him. Or perhaps, it was more like she couldn’t remember.

“I want to change,” Alec whispered. Cho focused on him again. “I want to change so badly, to cast off my addiction. I really do, but― but it’s just so  _ difficult _ sometimes.”

Something in Cho’s heart broke as Alec choked on his confession. His desire to change was heartfelt, and the raw guilt in his voice as he admitted he struggled was painful. All she wanted to do now was wrap him up in a blanket, feed him cookie dough while they binged on Disney movies, and tell him that everything was going to be okay. ( _ It was in this moment that she realized: She was ready to adopt another child. _ )

Alec wasn’t done, though.

“There are times when I think I’m going crazy. When― When I smoked, it was because I wanted to see color chase away the dark haze in my mind. There was so much color, and I actually felt happy and at peace. But then I began to see  _ between _ the colors, and― and it was amazing and  _ utterly terrifying _ .”

He shuddered, running a hand nervously through his hair. She shifted in her seat, feeling the subtle tension ripple throughout her body as she grew more serious. 

“I got so scared of the things I saw and I wanted it to stop, so I tried to give it up, but it’s― it’s a drug!” He waved a hand around. “And sometimes I feel like I can’t even make it through another  _ hour _ if I don’t take it. Now the stuff between the color, it’s everywhere! Those things are― especially  _ her _ .  _ She’s _ everywhere, always in the mirrors. Never for long, but long enough that I can see her.”

‘ _ A girl in the… mirror?’ _

She remembered seeing a mirror the day before, when the strange things began happening. It hadn’t struck her as anything significant before, but after what Alec had said, something wouldn’t quit  _ nagging _ at her from the back of her mind. Before she had gone in that room, before she had seen that mirror, she had been trying to… find some… one? A girl that was in the group― no, someone she had come with; the most important reason she had gone on this trip at all.

Her travel buddy.

The thought clicked into place, blasting her with a wave of stunned realization. 

“You’re not going crazy.” Cho reached out and grabbed Alec’s hand, gripping it tightly. His hand tightened around hers automatically, his grip in return almost deathly, and he stared at her with an almost haunted look ghosting his eyes. She shook her head and repeated, “You’re not.”

“Earlier, you asked me if I had come with someone― I think I did. I kept feeling like I was forgetting something important ever since we left that old mansion yesterday, and then I found a bunch of things that weren’t mine in my room. It’s hard to describe, but there’s definitely something strange going on.”

Alec frowned. “You don’t think… these things are connected, do you?”

She shook her head as she shrugged her shoulders. “I haven’t seen anybody other than myself in the mirror, but whatever’s going on with you  _ must  _ have something to do with what’s going on with me. These things can’t be a coincidence.”

“What are we going to do about it though?” Alec slipped his hand out of hers and rubbed his face. “I don’t even know what’s going on, let alone how to make it stop.”

“I don’t know where to begin either. But what I do know is that we’re going to help each other on this. You not alone, okay Alec?”

For a time he stared at her. His thoughts were blatantly easy to read; from confusion to surprise, to even more confusion, until, finally, there was acceptance. Cho held out her hand once he had sorted himself out, and when he took it, they shook on her declaration.

“Thank you,” he mumbled, and Cho smiled at him.

There were still things missing from the picture, but at least something had fallen into place.

* * *

 

Emryn eyed the two stacks of papers that had been placed before her with no subtle amount of uneasiness. With an exaggerated amount of slowness, she slid her gaze from the papers towards the one who had given them to her.

“And what, exactly, are you expecting me to do with these?” she asked.

Saïx looked down at her with what must have been a permanent stone cold glare, his thoughts completely veiled from her. He pointed to one pile and then the other as he said, “Go through these scouting reports and order them from most to least dangerous. Be sure to detail specific events that will occur, so that we may prepare preventive actions.”

‘ _ Ho boy. Was this what Vexen meant when he said they’d put me to work?’ _ Emryn pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head, exasperated.

“So I assume that Axel informed you of how this whole Oracle thing works then?” She paused, even though she knew she wouldn’t get a response. “Guess he failed to mention the part where I told Larxene that a writer doesn’t have every detail of their story plotted out, huh?”

Golden eyes narrowed, sending a slight shiver down her spine. She mimicked his cold expression, ignoring the fact that he could probably crush her skull with a clap of his hands if he so chose to.

“We all have our share of work to do around here. You will be no exception.” Saïx turned on his heel and began to walk away from her. He paused deliberately, glancing at her over his shoulder, adding, “Be grateful that your resources are required here, and not out in the field.”

Emryn glared at the man’s back as he walked off. Folding her arms, she leaned back into her seat and gnawed on the corner of her lip.  _ Of course _ her “services” were required  _ here _ ― If they were to let her loose in another world, they’d probably never see her again! ( _ Heck, she might never see herself again, for that matter. _ )

But what else was she supposed to do? All the people she actually socialized with in this god forsaken place were gone. Axel had left for Castle Oblivion, Roxas was out running some pointless mission and Demyx was busy avoiding some pointless mission, and President Stick-Up-His-Ass just walked out on her ( _ not that he made for a good conversationalist anyway _ ). As it were, even if she didn’t want to do the work, she was gonna have to do it just to avoid screaming into the void that was this stupid castle.

Sighing, Em deliberated a little longer before giving up and leaning forward to examine her homework. The first stack on the left was nothing but blank papers, whereas on the right were mission reports. Set neatly between the two was a lovely looking fountain pen; long, sleek and black, with silver tip engraved with a symbol that vaguely resembled the Nobody sigil. She picked it up, genuinely excited to see it. ( _ Oh the smoothness that came from writing with one of these! She was going to have to steal it if she wanted to add it to her horde at home. _ )

Next she picked up a report and studied it. In the top right corner, written in big, jagged letters, was the title  _ No. III _ . The following report detailed findings of various Heartless in the realm of what sounded like Beast’s Castle. Most of what was sighted were common enemies, such as Shadows and Soldiers, and even a few Bad Dogs, but in one of the cellars in particular a new breed of Heartless had been found. As Xaldin went on to describe, they were numerous heartless encased in ice that swarmed like ants. He couldn’t engage and eradicate at the time because he had not been equipped with enough fire spells, as though appeared to be the only thing that caused significant damage. 

Emryn made a face as she remembered having to fight off the little demons while playing the game. It only got worse when she thought of their leveled up version. ( _ There was so much rage to have when fighting off a pain in the ass enemy with an average leveled Roxas. _ )  She reached for a blank paper and readied herself to write out, only to stop with the pen hovering hesitantly above it.

‘ _ Should I be doing this? _ ’ she couldn’t help but wonder. ‘ _ It won’t hurt to just write down whatever lore I remember about the Heartless, right? I mean, it’s not like I’ll really be doing everything that Saïx told me to. It’s not like I can just write down a bunch of bs events and not expect the consequences of the results to find their way back to me. Yeah, just a bit of lore won’t hurt… Probably.’ _

She set the tip of the pen against the blank sheet, ignoring the lingering doubt, and began to write.

_ ― The little infestation of Ice Heartless are called Icy Cubes. They swarm, tackle, and re-spawn like no one’s business. Knock ‘em down, send them flying into each other, then let them freeze themselves into place. Destroy with fire spells. _

_ ― The larger versions of these guys are called Snowy Crystals. DO NOT LET THEM HIT YOU! The moment they get in one hit, they will rush every single one after in a move called a Rolling Shockwave. Get hit enough and they’ll freeze you into place. Bring lots of fire spells. _

_ ― Ultimate form, a.k.a the big baddie boss form, is the Blizzard Lord. This dude can turn you into ice, throw ice chunks at you, and breath big gusty winds of ice all over the got dang place. Fire spells are most effective, but Thunder works pretty well too. Once he takes enough damage then he’ll turn into a bunch of Icy Cubes. _

Em continued jotting down little notes for the next couple of reports, until she heard a sound that was similar to a bunch of large cables on a bridge twanging― A corridor had just been opened. She didn’t bother to turn around. It was too early for Roxas to be back, and Demyx was still in hiding, so whoever it was, she probably didn’t want to talk to anyways.

And she wasn’t wrong for thinking that.

“ _ Well _ ,” Emryn cringed as the drawled word was drawn out. “Would you look at that? Seems that the Oracle’s finally been put to work.”

The paper she had been studying suddenly slipped from her hands, and she held them up as if she’d just been handling something disgusting, deadpanning at the wall in front of her. From the corner of her eye she watched Xigbar settle himself on the opposite end of her couch, crossing his legs and lacing his hands behind his head with a chuckle. Her mouth twitched downwards with the irritable itch to frown.

There were at least four members of the Organization that Emryn never wanted to talk to ( _ again or otherwise _ ). Xemnas, was, indisputably, in first place for that. Marluxia was a second best, but since he was going to die anyways, then she didn’t particularly have much to worry about there. Larxene was a close third, and since her fate was the same as Marluxia’s then that was double the relief. The last person she wanted to talk with left her with no choice, and was now currently crossing the bridge she wished wasn’t there.

Emryn clicked her tongue, lowering her hands and placing them in her lap. “Yeah, well, it was either do it to kill time or sit here wishing for a way for time to kill me quicker. Not that I’m actually doing much of what Saïx told me to do, though.”

Xigbar snorted. “Ah. He tell you lay out a chart of the future all nice and pretty like so he could prepare in advance?”

She didn’t bother questioning how it was he knew that. It was probably pretty obvious anyway. One look at what she was doing and it’d be a simple guessing game.

“Kid’s always been like that.” He shook his head, before throwing in an extra remark, “But I bet you probably already knew that, since you’re so good with trivial details.”

‘ _ Was that a sly remark or an insult? _ ’ she questioned, already feeling the irritation fanning her ire. ‘ _ No. Don’t think about it. After what happened with Marluxia, they’ve probably figured out that I’m a ticking time bomb waiting to explode with bits of information. Just, don’t lash out at him. You’ll be fine if you don’t lash out at him.’ _

The man’s sniggering became more insistent, and finally, she turned to look at him head on. He leaned into the corner of the couch, one hand propping up his head in a fashion that she supposed was meant to be a lofty power move, while lazily eyeing her with veiled humor. Emryn didn’t like way he leered at her, like he knew something she didn’t.

“Something funny?” she asked, attempting to maintain an air of indifference.

“I was just thinking about how you really do try to repress yourself with silence, like you think it’ll make a difference or something. As if.” He shook his head. “Now I wonder if anything else Marluxia said scared you off from picking any more fights. Be pretty lame though, if that’s the case.”

Em glared at him, her jaw slowly locking into place the more she ground her teeth together. This conversation, however unwanted it may have been, served as a strong reminder as to why else she hadn’t wanted to speak with Xigbar. Aside from just outright disliking him for some of the things he had done, she knew the man possessed a certain degree of bluntness that wound up being rather cunning. His more or less natural honesty served as a provoking weapon; being honest about what he thought could make people angry, and the fact that he didn’t bother to hide that he knew this only made things worse. His knowledge was the gun, his words the trigger, and the wave of anger that would wash over one was the bullet. A real sharpshooter, in many forms of the word.

Knowing this didn’t make forming an answer any easier, but she carefully tried anyway. “It’s not that I’m running away from any fights, I’m just trying not to sink any further to your level.”

“ _ Hah _ ! You people with hearts think you’ve got some sort of moral high ground, don’t you?”

“Yeah, no. It’s just that you’ve always had questionable judgement, even with a heart, so I doubt that qualifies you to be giving me any advice on how to mind my own business,” she finally snapped.

Xigbar threw his head back, barking. His laughter filled the Grey Area for a good long while. At first, Emryn had just been irritated, but the longer his amusement remained drawn out, the more confused she became. 

“And there it is!” he cackled. “Doesn’t take much to rile you up now, does it? Guess it doesn’t help that you already know me and my deeds, but there’s nothin’ I can do about that. Even time can’t seem to change a spit fire like yours.”

Emryn paused as his words tried to sink in.  _ Something _ he had said screamed, ‘ _ One of these things is not like the other!’ _ , and she didn’t like it one bit. 

While she attempted to figure out what exactly it was he had said that bothered her, Xigbar had finally calmed down enough, pushing himself out of his seat. He shuffled a little closer, reaching down to pick up one of the blank sheets of paper that had been left for her. He waved it at her with a crooked smirk adorning his scarred features, before turning and walking off. Emryn watched him go, dumbfounded and more uneasy than she ever had been before.

“Can’t wait to see how everything pans out from here, Little Miss Oracle.” He disappeared into the hallway, impish voice echoing loudly. “Feel free to let your spit fire burn everything to the ground! 

“It’ll be more fun that way.”

* * *

 

_ How to Talk to Someone Without Letting Them Know You’re a Spy: An Uncertain Guide By Me, Roxas _

_ (I know Axel trusted me with this job, but I’m not really so sure I’m the one he should have given this to. I don’t even know the first thing about subtlety, or even how I’ll know if something actually sticks out to me, and if that something is truly important. I tried to find some books in Twilight Town, but… I don’t know if I can actually perform any of these social tricks.) _

  1. _Don’t fill the silence._



_ \- If someone stopped talking, wait another beat before talking yourself. This gives the person a chance to add something else. _

_ (This doesn’t sound too hard. I think I can wait to say something. But how do I know when it’s been long enough?) _

  1. _Get in their personal space._



_ \- People get uncomfortable when you invade their personal bubble. Pull up a chair, or take a step closer. This will make a person feel transparent (What does that feel like?) and can encourage them to dig deeper. (Dig deeper for what, exactly? That part doesn’t make sense to me.) _

  1. _Nod your head._



_ \- Head nodding is the universal sign of agreement. (Huh, interesting…) People will talk more than usual if their listener nods their head during conversation. You can also do this at the end of a sentence to get them to say more. _

_ \- When someone’s finished speaking, stroke your chin. This is body language for ‘I’m thinking’. _

_ \- Nod your head three times to get them to keep talking. If they’re holding back anything, then this can unlock their thoughts by making them think you are interested or agreeable.  _

_ (Aside from knowing if I can do any of this or not, I also don’t know if any of this will work on the Oracle. What if she’s already seen this coming? If she knows, then she might not ever talk to me again! Even if this wasn’t for a mission, I wouldn’t want Emryn to  _ not _ talk to me. She’s my friend. I… I don’t like the idea of my friend not talking to me because she doesn’t trust me.) _

Roxas set the pen down, gnawing on his lower lip. He may have only known Emryn for a little less than a week, but that didn’t stop him from feeling uneasy about testing her trust like this. Emryn had already shown that her trust extended to very few members of the Organization, if he were to somehow get caught, then he had no idea how to possibly fix what he had messed up. He wanted her to think that he was trustworthy, because he  _ was  _ trustworthy. But he also wanted to be reliable to Axel, who had asked him to continue doing what surely must have been his job, before he had left for another mission. 

Why couldn’t things be easy and just let him be both? Wasn’t everyone supposed to be working towards the same goal? They were all members of the same group, so why did it feel like they were all trying to work against one another?

It just didn’t make any sense to him.

The door to his room suddenly slid open, and Roxas nearly fell off his bed from the unexpected sound. He fumbled around, quickly shoving both the book he had gotten and his journal under his pillow. Breathing a little heavier than normal, he turned his attention to the door, feeling the blood slowly drain from his face as he saw Emryn in the doorway. Luckily, though, she was facing the Dusk that was accompanying her. 

“Bit touchy, isn’t it? Didn’t even give me a chance to knock. Rude,” she groused. The young woman turned around again and beamed upon sighting him. “Hey! Mind if we come in?”

“Uh… Yeah. Yeah, sure!” A crooked smile tugged up his face in an attempt to look natural. It must have looked funny, because she raised a brow at him.

“What’s with the constipated look? You guilty of doing something ya shouldn’t have?” Emryn chuckled as she crossed the room, settling down on the floor and leaning against his bed. The Dusk continued to loiter in the doorway.

Roxas wondered if now would be a good time to start panicking. She wasn’t on to him already, was she? “Huh? Whaddya mean?”

“Well,” she craned her head back, “in my experience, when people look constipated and they’re not, they’re generally feeling guilty about something. Whether it’s because of something they said or did― or are about to do ―and they feel bad about it, it shows as a form of discomfort. But I was just teasing you, ya know.” 

“Oh, is that so?” he responded, perhaps a bit too faintly. She brushed a strand of hair out of her face and hummed. Tension he hadn’t noticed building up in him began to ease away. 

Roxas sighed quietly, slumping where he sat. Now that he felt like he was out of the line of potential fire, he could actually process some of the information Emryn had given him. He liked that about her; knowing that he still didn’t have a grip on various things concerning emotions, she would take the time to explain what something meant, and how it was supposed to feel. Em was like Axel in that regard, teaching him things no one else would bother to teach him, and yet she always managed to dig a little deeper than the other. Even if he had no memories of what an emotion was supposed to feel like, something inside him always seemed to know the truth in her words. 

Eventually, the lull of silence became notable, and the longer it went on, the more certain Roxas became that Emryn didn’t have anything else to say. “So… What  _ are _ you doing here?” he asked.

“Well, to put it bluntly,” Emryn stretched. “I’m pulling a Demyx and avoiding work.”

“Oh, so you’re finally well enough to work? What’s your job― aside from, you know, Oracle-ish things.”

She stared up at the ceiling with a dead look shadowing her eyes. “I was handed paperwork and told to fill it out like a secretary. Otherwise known as: ‘ _ Nomura-ed _ ’.”

“Nomu- _ what _ ?” His brow crinkled together as he squinted at her. Even if he enjoyed listening to what the woman had to say, sometimes she just threw things at him that made absolutely no sense. 

“Nomura-ed.” she replied. “Say that, right now, we’re characters in the middle of a story. My significance, as the female character, would be pushed to the side in favor of letting you, a leading character and also a guy, soak in the glory of the spotlight. That’s what Nomura-ed means.”

“That sounds… awful, actually.” Roxas frowned, mulling the phrase’s meaning over. “I don’t think you’re insignificant, though. You’re pretty important― not just as the Oracle, but as yourself and as my friend, too.”

Emryn clapped both of  her hands over her mouth, though her grin was large enough to still be seen through it. A faint whistling sound came from her direction as well, and even her eyes misted over a little. “That is literally the sweetest thing anyone’s said to me. And that’s saying a lot, because Cho and I are constantly trying to see who can be more sickeningly sweet.”

Suddenly, he became uncomfortably warm around the collar of his cloak. He reached behind his neck and tried to rub it away, but the action only seemed to make him more self-aware of it, which in turn made it worse. Roxas managed to mumble something― he thought it he accepted the compliment, or at least something similar to it ―but even he could barely make out what he had said.

The young woman’s grin only became brighter. “Well now that we’ve officially broken through a paradoxical fourth wall, let’s hang out and do something.”

Roxas blinked.

“But I’ve already had ice cream today,” he blurted, thinking about Axel’s definition of ‘ _ hanging out _ ’, that which was the same routine after every mission.

Emryn chuckled. “There’s more to hanging out than just watching sunsets and eating ice cream ya know. And even though the ‘icing on the cake’ is an endearing routine, we honestly need to get you some new hobbies.”

He didn’t even have time to pause as she continued.

“My friend Cho and I, we spend a great deal of talking, actually, because we both have characters and stories we want to discuss, but we still do other things when we get together. Things like going shopping and then getting something to eat, or going to the movies and judging the latest chick-flick. Other times we meet at the park and play on the swing sets, enjoying the little things life had given us.”

She painted a beautiful picture. He wondered if he had ever experienced a friendship like that when he was Someone. Had he spent most of his time talking to another person about the things he liked? Had he too gone to the movies to see the latest flick? Had he spent his time with someone in a park, swinging away on the happy little things life had given him?

Something fluttered within his chest, as if the little movement was trying to give him an answer to his questions.

“Hey, what about summer vacation? What do you during that?” he asked, the memory of Axel talking about the holiday popping into his mind. Axel had said that it was a time when kids got a whole month off from things like school and homework. It was a time that in which every afternoon could be spent as lazily as they wanted. Sometimes, with as crunched of a schedule as he was made to maintain, Roxas wished that he too could enjoy a summer vacation.

“Hmm, well… I’m not in school anymore, and right now Cho’s technically on winter break, so when we aren’t working then we’re kind of always in this mode that’s  _ like _ summer vacation. It’s a little too dream like, though.” She noticed him deflating and hurried to add a more positive note. “But before I came here, we  _ were _ on this tour where we got to explore a bunch of abandoned and haunted places.”

“Is that supposed to be something fun?”

“For me, yeah. I like scary things― in moderation, of course. Cho,  _ eh, _ not so much. But she came along anyways ‘cause she wanted to travel.”

Traveling. That was something he wouldn’t mind doing more of, especially without any work. It would certainly be more fun if he could look around more for himself.

“Hey, speaking of going places and doing things together,” Emryn sat up and leaned in closer. “I’ve been wondering about that city that’s down below this castle. Do you know if it’s even functional?”

“I don’t, actually.” In fact, he’d never really given the city beyond this castle much thought. He never got sent down there anyway, so there hadn’t ever been a reason for him to need to explore it. 

Emryn gave him a flat look. “You live here and yet you’ve never even bothered to explore your own city?”

“Hey!” he protested. “I’m too busy to explore down there!”

“Yet you explore every other world zealously. Aren’t you even the least bit curious to know what’s down there?” She grabbed his wrist, stood up, and pulled him towards the window. 

The city below blinked, the neon signs somehow appearing dull against monotone landscape of his world. He saw this place every day in passing, hadn’t even given it so much as a second thought, really, but now that Em had put the question in his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder. What was down there? Were there working markets and busy street-goers down there? Was there a community he had never noticed before?

“Maybe we can ask Ax― someone if it’s an active city,” he suggested, hurriedly correcting himself before he said the redhead’s name.

Em shook her head. “Nah. Let’s just go down there and see for ourselves. It’s not like anything’ll happen anyway.”

“Hmm…,” Roxas thought about it for a moment. Since it was technically his down time, then he was free to do whatever he wanted. Emryn, however… Well,  no one would have to know if he took her down there for a quick peek. They could look around for a little bit and then be back before anyone even noticed they were gone. No harm, no foul.

He nodded, sticking out his hand. Together they walked through the portal that had appeared, and from the corner of his eye, Roxas noticed the Dusk that had been loitering around slip in behind. The name tag it wore bounced wildly with its movements.

As they walked, they ( _ they being a subjective term for mostly Emryn) _ chattered about the different kinds of things friends did when they got together. Sometimes it would be about just her and Cho, doing things called sleepovers and movie marathons. Other times she and a whole group of friends would get together and ‘ _ treat themselves _ ’ by going to the pool or taking a hike at night to go look at stars. ( _ She particularly enjoyed that activity, saying that she’d have to teach him about constellations. _ )

Even once they had reached the City That Never Was, she continued to talk, moving on from friends to family. She spoke of a younger brother, and how he had taken up an interest in an activity called ‘ _ Rollerblading’ _ , simply because it was something she enjoyed doing, even if she wasn’t particularly good at it. Her words were gentle, yet possessed an endearing tone he was not familiar with, and they made him feel fuzzy just listening to them. 

They walked up and down empty streets, searching for signs of life. Stores appeared to be open, filled in abundance with merchandise, yet no one could be found inside. After awhile, the Dusk ( _ the Dusk which had a name, and that name was Frank, he had to remind himself) _ pulled forward and took the lead. Roxas began to speculate that this was where the lesser Nobodies came to buy supplies. ( _ And perhaps this was where the Moogle got his stuff too. _ )

In the end, Frank brought them to what appeared to be a clothes store. Most of the items were black, interestingly enough, but sprinkled throughout here and there were flecks of grey. Emryn picked up one of the grey things from a table, and it unfurled in a plume of fabric.

“Oo,” Em cooed. “This is actually kinda nice. Feel it.”

He took off a glove and ran his hand over it, enjoying the smooth texture of the fiber against his skin. She turned it around so he could see it better. The item in question looked like a tunic, but was a little bit on the longer side that it almost leaned towards a dress. There was also a hood attached to the back.

Emryn shrugged off her coat, revealing a thin black tank top beneath, before sliding the outfit over her head and covering the shirt once again. The tunic-dress-hybrid cut off at about halfway down her thighs, making it look like she was just wearing a really oversized shirt. She pulled the wine colored coat over it, and oddly enough, the outfit actually looked complete.

She gave a little twirl, giggling as the bottom flared out a little. Her mouth opened as she looked up, but whatever she had been about to say died in her throat. Emryn’s attention was fixated on something behind him.

When he turned to look over his shoulder, all he saw was a mirror. A  _ rippling _ mirror. Roxas had seen a lot of strange things in his time, short as it may have been, but never before had he come across a moving mirror.

“It’s doing it again,” Emryn mumbled.

“Huh?” he looked away from the mirror.

“The mirror, it was moving like that before, and then it sucked me up and spat me into a different world.” Gears began to turn in her mind. “I didn’t know that it was able to do it more than once.”

Roxas glanced at the mirror again. ‘ _ Emryn came through… that? And it was rippling then too. So if it’s rippling now, then…’ _

Realization dawned on him, and suddenly he wished they hadn’t come down here.

“If you were given the chance to leave… would you?” He hesitated. The answer was so obvious in hindsight, but that didn’t stop him from hoping he was wrong.

Emryn looked at him so imploringly that it became painful. She reached up and placed a hand behind his head.

“Roxas,  _ I’m so sorry.” _

With a sharp tug, Roxas’ head jerked toward the edge of the display table. A void filled with stars exploded in his mind, and he collapsed.

* * *

 

Frank had only turned around for a second. Just for one  _ measly little second _ to look at a rack of clothes, when it heard a dull  _ thunk _ , and the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. When it swiveled around to investigate the sound, it had been in no way prepared to see the Keybearer crumpled on floor with the Oracle on her knees and practically sobbing over him.

“I’m so sorry Roxas!” she blubbered repeatedly. “Please don’t hold this against me!”

The Oracle reached into her bag, pulling out a leather bound book and a pen. She opened it to a fresh page and furiously began to scribble in it. A harried minute later and the page was ripped from the book and shoved between the blond’s hands. The girl rubbed her face and then looked up at the Dusk.

“Sorry Frank! I need you to take care of Roxas now. Thank you for playing card games with me!” 

She jumped up from her place and then booked it for the mirror straight ahead. Still stuck in a state between confusion and shock, Frank did nothing but watch as she jumped, diving feet first into the mirror. But instead of crashing and breaking it, as anyone would have expected, the Oracle simply slid through it, as if it were made of water, and  _ vanished _ . The mirror rippled for a few seconds after, and then stilled.

The Keybearer groaned, causing the Dusk to look down. The boy stirred, his entire body tensing, and the paper in his hand crinkled. It looked back at the mirror, and then to the boy again. Only three things were certain to Frank in that moment. One, the Oracle was gone. Two, the Keybearer was injured. And three, once they got back to the castle, somehow, it knew, everything would wind up being its fault.

Frank wilted a little. There went its Dusk of the Month promotion...

* * *

 

Emryn hurtled out of the mirror like a bat out of hell ( _ screeching like one too _ ). She made contact with a hard, pristine white floor, and was sent tumbling once again. When she finally rolled to a complete stop, she was in agony. Pinwheeling into Underland had been like a little scrape on the knee compared to the contortionist display she had managed to make of herself here― wherever here  _ was _ , exactly. 

Groaning, Em peeled herself off the floor and looked around at a blank room. ‘ _ Please tell me that’s not how I’m going to come out of that damn thing every time,’ _ she grumbled to herself. ‘ _ Also, where the frick-frack knick-knack am I now? ‘Cause this sure as hell ain’t Kansas either, Toto.’ _

As she slowly managed to find her balance once again, her surroundings came into focus, revealing… absolutely nothing. She had landed in a blindly, unbelievably white and empty room. This had to be some kind of joke.

Emryn whirled around furiously and stalked up to the mirror. “I ended up pulling a Top Ten Anime Betrayals by hurting Roxas― my baby boy ― _ for this?! _ I’m literally back in the place I wanted to get out of! What gives?”

Her eyes darted around furiously, searching for any sign that the mirror was even listening to her. Something about this just  _ reeked _ of her dreamself’s doing. Opening up a pathway out of her situation, getting her hopes up, and then absolutely  _ destroying them _ by dumping a massive load of guilt on her  _ and _ sending her back to the den of wolves she wanted out of; she didn’t doubt her dreamself to be above any of that, honestly. How it was a dreamself could even influence the waking world was beyond Emryn, but the notion that it was the other her’s doing was too strong to let go of.

Her reflection did not differ from whatever she did, and after another minute of angrily staring at herself, Emryn gave up. She turned away from the mirror and strode towards the door. Instead of ending up somewhere at least a little bit more helpful, the stupid mirror had sent her back to the Castle That Never Was. Now she was going to have to figure out how to win what would most likely be the most intense game of hide-n-seek she’d ever played. Whatever had she done to deserve this kind of karma? ( _ And no, knocking Roxas out would not count against for this. Whatever this was, it had to have been premeditated.) _

Carefully, Emryn pried the door open and peered out into the large hallway. It was empty, thankfully, and graciously well lit. She frowned. The Organization’s base wasn’t nearly this bright, was it? The walls had always been more of a greyish-pearly color, and there wasn’t nearly this much light, either. Instead of the sigil for Nobodies on the walls, there were sunflowers with wings, with Doric order pillars regally guarding the gaps between. In this sense, the place gave off more of a royal vibe, whereas normally things felt bland and dismal. Despite what looks at a first glance would have it seem, this place was not what she had thought it was.

Slowly, the young woman craned her head over her shoulder, eyes wide as she stared at the mirror. If this wasn’t the Castle That Never Was, then that meant…

“ _ No,” _ she mouthed to her horrified reflection. “You did  _ not _ spit me out at Castle Oblivion!”

Again, her reflection did nothing other than mimic her. Emryn faced the hallway again, biting her lip. Being here was just as bad as being at the other castle. The only difference in this was that it put her in Marluxia’s playing field, as opposed to Xemnas’. Even if they were now at odds with each other, he was still a man seeking to rule the Organization, and he would covet her foreknowledge just as much as he was going to covet Sora. If she was found out here, then she wasn’t going to get away until she endured the entirety of Sora’s end of the plot in CoM, most likely. The last thing she needed right now was to get more involved with the main storyline.

‘ _ If I can perhaps find my way out of here before someone notices me, then I can just follow the road Sora used and make my way to those fields. Surely they’ll lead me to somewhere else.’ _

Em nodded to herself and slipped out into the corridor. She kept to the wall, deciding to go left while moving at a brisk pace. As she moved from corridor to grand hallway, she kept her eyes peeled in search of anyone familiar, and for a hiding place should she encounter said familiar people. Unfortunately, Castle Oblivion was nearly devoid of decent hiding places. It was pretty much all open space. 

When she reached the first set of stairs, she was grateful to see them leading down, proving she had made a safe enough bet where directions where concerned. Though it didn’t mean she was out of the woods yet.

The young woman descended carefully, noting that there were rooms lining this hallway. One of the doors was slightly ajar. She treaded lightly along the stone floor, her shoes making only the quietest of tapping sounds. Once she reached the door then she fully intended to ghost run past it― a handy technique she had developed when she was a child, where she could run short distances with only her tip-toes ghosting the floor. 

“ _ Well, Sora? Did you enjoy meeting your memories?” _

“ _ Yeah. It was good to see everyone.” _

Emryn froze. That was Marluxia and Sora talking. It was like listening to a recording; a little staticy, echoed a lot, and seemed kind of far away. Haltingly, she peeked into the room. Standing in front of a large crystal ball, with her back to the door, was Larxene, casually viewing the events that were happening further below them. The people inside the ball continued to move and talk, as if they were no more than part of a regular program on the tv.

Her gaze traveled towards the far right wall, and there she found Naminé. The girl sat with her shoulders hunched, the sounds of colored pencils scratching against paper only slightly louder than the people talking. Not even a couple feet away from her stood a bird cage. The little angelic plush meant to represent Naminé’s position of the grand scheme of things hung tauntingly above her, trapped.

Seeing Naminé in the games, Emryn had merely felt bad for the poor girl. Now, seeing her in person for the first time, it nearly cleaved her heart in two. 

‘ _ She doesn’t deserve this.’ _

As if sensing eyes on her, Naminé looked up from her sketchbook. Her attention went first to Larxene, but when she saw that the older woman wasn’t looking at her, a small frown pulled at her mouth. Bright blue eyes flitted around the room in search of the eyes trained on her, and when she met Emryn’s gaze, her entire face lit up in faint surprise.

“ _ Hellooo!” _

They both jumped as Axel’s greeting rang around the room, loud and antagonistic, as was required of this persona of his. Emryn ducked back around the door when Larxene’s head whipped towards Naminé. Her heart hammered against her ribs and she fought to keep her breathing level. She couldn’t get caught now.

After a brief pause, Em chanced another peek into the room. Larxene had gone back to watching the crystal ball, but Naminé’s attention was still fixated on her. The girl chanced a look at the senior blonde, before giving a slight upward nod of her head, mouthing, “ _ Go!”  _

Unfortunately, Emryn was not always the greatest at reading the little signals.

“ _ What do you want?” _

“ _ No hogging the hero.” _

The girl’s eyes flickered towards the crystal and then back to her with even more urgency. 

“ _ Then perhaps you’d like to test him.” _

Twanging. Emryn had grown accustomed to the sound, having nothing better to do than sit in the Grey Area, where everybody usually came and went. It was an uncomfortable sort of familiarity, something she had never wanted to hear on a regular basis, and never coming from directly behind her.

Emryn spun around, only to find her path blocked. A gloved hand snaked forward rapidly, gripping her upper arm and tugging her forward before she even had a chance to avoid it. She stared up her captor with loathing etching its burn marks deep into her bones.

A corner of Marluxia’s mouth quirked up in the faintest hint of a smirk. “What a pleasant surprise to see you here. I look forward to utilizing your services, Miss Oracle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've posted art for Em, Cho, and Alec on my tumblr if y'all wanna check that out. Also be on the look out for spoiler comics for the next couple of chapters! 
> 
> I was also half dead when I posted this chapter the first time, and I still haven't edited it yet, so I'm sorry for the mistakes throughout it.


	7. And I Bring You Mur... Mur-DER!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Emryn makes things dicey. Again.

Roxas knew he was in trouble from the moment he regained consciousness. That belief was only further ingrained within him when he returned to the castle and found Saïx, the man’s permanent look of displeasement deepening upon the news of Emryn’s escape. He had followed the blue haired man to the Round Room, where a meeting had immediately been called, and the remaining members at the castle assembled. As they waited for the Superior to arrive, Roxas fidgeted where he sat. 

He gingerly rubbed the spot where his head had forcefully made contact with the table back in the store. The pain had dulled since he had awoken, and now there was a knot the size of a small munny orb. There hadn’t been any time to take a potion before, but Roxas didn’t dare take one now. This situation was already bad enough as it was, and the thought of taking a moment to cure what was, in hindsight, just a minor injury, in front of everyone else, sent burning discomfort coursing through his veins. It was a horrible sensation, causing his stomach to churn a little. For the life of him, though, he couldn’t figure out what the feeling  _ was. _

‘ _ Guilt shows as a form of discomfort _ ,’ he recalled, thinking back on his conversation with Emryn from earlier. Was he feeling guilty? Well, he had certainly messed everything up by letting Em get away, and for that he  _ did _ feel bad, but this… this seemed like something else. 

It was a concoction of shame for showing weakness in front of his comrades, and embarrassment for even having a weakness in the first place; a feeling that worsened the longer he stewed in his thoughts of it.

‘ _ Humiliation, _ ’ a thought, a fragment of the past, whispered from deep within him.

His brow furrowed, lips pinching together in a tight frown. Humiliation; was that really the name of this feeling? The word alone sounded awful, and it caused his gut to coiled tightly. Roxas shuddered, quickly removing his hand from his head and shoving it into his pocket. Paper crinkled in response to the forceful gesture.

Roxas sunk a little lower in his seat, the turbulent feelings dissipating as he curled his hand around the note. ‘ _ Emryn, why couldn’t you stay?’ _

His attention was stolen by the sound of a corridor opening. Cerulean eyes focused on the highest chair, watching as Lord Xemnas appeared in a shroud of darkness, his position regal but not in the least bit troubled. A piercingly golden gaze met with his own, briefly, and a chill swept through him. Then that gaze moved on, sweeping around the room to meet with the others.

Finally, the Superior spoke. “So it appears that our Oracle has run away. Number XIII, how did this happen?”

“Wait, Emryn’s  _ gone _ ?” Demyx, who had been slouching ( _ perhaps even nodding off _ ) in his seat, suddenly bolted upright. “But  _ why _ ? I thought she was going to help us!”

Xaldin’s gruff  _ harumph _ echoed around the room. “One would think that even  _ you _ would have been observant enough to cotton on to that girl’s blatant display of distaste in this place. Apparently that’s too much credit to be giving you.”

The teen scratched his head. “Whad’dya mean? She seemed fine whenever we hung out.”

“Perhaps when she was around you, then that was the case,” Luxord interjected nonchalantly. He shuffled his cards in his lap, not bothering to look up as he continued to speak. “But as for the rest of us, her antipathy knew no bounds.”

Under his breath, he added more, plucking individual cards from his deck and studying them intently. “An interesting gamble to have made, but how long can she withstand avoiding the whims of fate?”

“Never mind the Oracle’s reasoning,” came the snappish rebuttal from Saïx. “What we need to know is  _ how _ she got away.”

A lump formed in his throat, and Roxas swallowed hard before finally opening his mouth. “Well, uh, Emry― Er, the Oracle and I had gone down to the city below to explore. Then, while we were in a store―”

“What store?” Saïx cut in tersely. “We need specifics, if we are to prevent a repeat of this incident in the future.”

The way the older man spoke, it was as if he was certain they would be getting Emryn back. For some reason, Roxas didn’t like that certainty, though he should have. The Oracle was supposed to guide them through the future’s obstacles and help them achieve Kingdom Hearts, according to what he had been told. For that very reason, they  _ needed _ Emryn. 

‘ _ So why did she run away, really?’ _ Roxas wondered. ‘ _ What does she know?’ _

“I highly doubt that the store itself had anything to do with this,” Xigbar chuckled. “Let the kid finish before you get all nit picky.”

The two men stared at each other, one far more evenly tempered than the other. It wasn’t long before Saïx relented, however, clicking his tongue and locking his jaw shut. Roxas let the pause drag out a beat longer, just to make sure no one else had anything to say, before resuming his report.

“Well, we had gone into a clothes store, and while we were looking at stuff, she saw something and started acting strangely. I turned around to look at whatever it was she had seen, and― and a _ mirror _ was  _ moving. _ ”

A collective muttering circled the room as everyone took in this information. “ _ A mirror?” _

Roxas nodded. “It was like the glass had been replaced with water, rippling as if something had disturbed it. She said that it had done that before, and that that’s how she got here; it began moving and pulled her in, sending her to another world.”

“So she escaped through the mirror,” Xaldin clarified bluntly, crossing his arms over his chest. “But that begs the question of what  _ you  _ were doing in the meantime. Why did you allow her to escape?”

“I― er― She― um―,” he struggled to find a way to explain what had happened without making him sound like a complete failure. Eventually he gave up, hanging his head a little as he said, “She, uh, caught me by surprise and kinda stunned me.” 

The scolding he surely would have received was waylaid by Xigbar’s cackling. “ _ Man! _ I knew she was more than just all bark, but talk about a power move! Considering how much she doted on you, that’s just cold blooded.”

“Desperation in a heart will oft give way to desperation in action. In some cases, such a way of thinking is the only way to get away, as is necessary for come what may.”

Everyone looked to Xemnas. The Superior had his head resting on the tips of his fingers, his face not betraying even an ounce of concern. In fact, Roxas could have sworn that their leader actually looked  _ pleased _ with the news. His eyes narrowed a fraction, as if that would help him discern the correct meaning of the look on Lord Xemnas’ face. How could anything he had said be considered good news? Emryn had gotten away, and it was all his fault.

“Lord Xemnas, how shall we proceed?” Saïx questioned solemnly.

“For now, search for the Oracle on other worlds. If she is located then bring her back, but don’t underestimate her, and be wary of any mirrors in the vicinity.”

“And as for the Keybearer’s punishment?” Roxas stiffened upon receiving a glare from the scarred man. “Since it is his fault that she has escaped in the first place, what punishment must be dealt out? And what of the Dusk that had been present at the time? It has failed in its duties as well.”

Roxas righted himself to attention at this. “Sir, please, allow me to take charge of the Dusk. Things happened too fast for it to do anything either, so―”

Xemnas waved his hand, bringing the boy to an abrupt halt. 

“The Dusk is now your responsibility. See to it that it is held responsible for its actions. On top of searching for the Oracle, your workload will be doubled. That will be all.”

With that, Xemnas disappeared. The remaining members began to vanish, one by one, until Roxas was left on his own. He slumped in his seat, rubbing the knot on his forehead once again. 

If only he hadn’t taken Emryn down to the city, then things wouldn’t be the way they were now. Now, not only had he failed his comrades, but surely he had failed his friend as well. Axel had given him that mission to watch Emryn, and he had completely bombed it. What would Axel say when he came back and found out? 

He reached into his pocket, pulling the note that had been left for him out with a sigh, feeling just as torn as the piece of paper in his hand. Unfolding the paper, he began to re-read the messily scrawled message.

_ Roxas, _

_ I’m so (to infinity and beyond) sorry for hurting you! I didn’t want to do this, but I didn’t think I’d be able to say no to you or fight back if things escalated. I just… I want to go home. Despite what everyone thinks, I’ll only end up ruining things instead of fixing them, so please, forgive me! _

_ P.S. Please take care of Frank for me! Neither of you deserve to get in trouble for this. Again, I’m so sorry. _

But then there was this. Despite everything that had recently happened, he still genuinely believed that Emryn was his friend. The amount of emotion in her little note was incredibly, peculiarly, undeniably  _ tangible _ to him, and he just couldn’t find any reason to hold this incident against  _ her _ so much as he held it against  _ himself _ . If anything, he felt… Well, he wasn’t sure what to call this feeling, but he thought he could make a little sense of Emryn’s desire.

Roxas tucked the note back into this pocket and leaned forward. Only one thing was questionable to him, and that was what Emryn had meant when she said she could only ruin things instead of fix them. What was in the future that she thought was better off left untouched and unchanged? 

What if… What if he could convince her that he could help change it for her? They were friends, and friends were supposed to help each other, right? Surely, when he found her, she would understand him if he put it like that, and come back. Wouldn’t she?

‘ _ I have to try, _ ’ he thought, and the haze of the Dark Corridor slipped over him as he left the Round Room.

* * *

 

“You know, oddly enough, I’m more disappointed than I am surprised.” Axel crossed his arms over his chest, sharp eyes narrowing as he stared at their additional…  _ guest _ .

“Don’t go sounding all disenchanted now, or I might start to think you don’t like me,” came the the quip that was trying all too hard to sound casual. Emryn quickly cast a nervous glance up at him before focusing on the floor with a forced bored look again. 

He barely managed to catch what she muttered next. “Not that I’m particularly thrilled to be here either.”

“Why  _ are _ you here, exactly?” he prodded. Returning from the first level after dealing with Sora had in no way prepared him to see Emryn, of all people, sitting on the floor in a defensive ball near Naminé. The odds of her ever being released to perform field missions were practically non-existent, and even if she somehow  _ did _ get an outside mission, she would have arrived here with him. Or else, if this mission had been assigned last minute, Saïx no doubt would have escorted her here himself.

No, something else was at play here, and he didn’t like it one bit.

Emryn gnawed on her lower lip for a moment, deliberating what to say. After sneaking another peek at him, she released a defeated sigh and started talking― well, mumbling, anyway. “I may or may not have attempted the act of running away.”

His mouth fell open a smidge, and he quickly shook his head. Dryly, he asked, “And how’s that going for ya?”

Her head snapped up, revealing a fierce glare. She continued a little more scathingly. “Unfortunately, my mode of transportation decided it had no use for being reliable and dumped me here, instead of sending me home, like I’d have  _ preferred _ .”

“And how is it that you got here?” His fingers had begun to tap on his arm. 

She leaned back and mimicked his actions. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“ _ Ugh, enough already! _ ” Larxene appeared at his side, armed with a look that could kill and an equally poisonous attitude. “Just answer the question so we can get over this.”

Emryn’s lip curled in disgust, promptly followed with a turn of her head that ended the discussion. Axel ran a hand through his hair, scratching the back of his head while discreetly rolling his eyes. Honestly, Larxene just had no tact. If anything, she was little bark and too much bite. The concept of knowing how to speak without even remotely threatening to use force just didn’t seem to apply to her. It was one of the things he hated when it came to working with the woman.

“The answers between the how or the why she came to be here do not matter.” Marluxia slid silently into place on his right. “What matters is that she is here now, and that she can be put to use.”

‘ _ The answers don’t matter, huh? _ ’ He could very well beg to differ, but as of the moment, he needed Marluxia to think he was on their side. 

“I don’t know  _ why _ you’re still hung up on that idea,” Larxene griped, flicking her hand. Poisonous green eyes attempted to burn holes in the young woman on the floor. “I still say she’s useless.”

Though her head still remained turned away, grey eyes flashed dangerously in their direction, before focusing on something else again. Her temper was steadily rising, but she was trying desperately to keep it in check. Axel had to applaud her for that ( _ though he too wanted to know what she had to say next, come every time her patience was tested _ ). It truly did take a strong will and an insane amount of self-restraint to not lash out at Larxene. Considering how last time had turned out, Emryn must have been learning from her experience. 

“Once we have the Keyblade master under the Organization’s control, then we can use the Oracle’s powers of foresight to navigate the way forward.”

Marluxia knelt on one knee, reaching out and taking Emryn’s face in his hand. She grew rigid as she was forced to look at him. Everything about her stone cold expression burned with a deeply rooted sense of loathing. He remembered how, the day before, her ire had suddenly plummeted upon hearing Marluxia’s veiled confession, leaving her looking like the most sensitive piece of glass teetering on a dangerous precipice. One touch, and she could break. Now there wasn’t even a hint of that weakness.

In that moment, the Oracle was the most open book he had ever found. Completely readable, yet it was as if the language she was made up of was a foreign one to him. He understood the meaning of that look just as much as he could not comprehend it. To be able to recognize a feeling, yet never be able to replicate in one’s own self, such was the curse of a Nobody.

Emryn would never be compliant, though, of that he was certain.

“Of course,” Marluxia’s voice grew softer, and for the first time ever, Axel heard the unmistakable sound of a threat in the Graceful Assassin’s voice, “the sooner she obliges, the sooner we’ll be able to move on.”

After a pressed moment of silence, he released the young woman. Emryn immediately withdrew as far away from them as she possibly could. Marluxia made a soft clicking sound as he stood, then walked away.

“In the meantime, we’ll continue as we have― using Naminé.”

Axel’s gaze slid from Emryn to the younger girl sitting nearby. Naminé flinched at the sound of her name, keeping her gaze downcast. The image of a broken spirit, chained by the powers that made her. Pitiful.

He stopped looking.

‘ _ One pawn broken and submissive, two left to go. What is it that you’re truly after, Marluxia?’  _ Though he was suspicious of a great number of things, he was going to have to prioritize what it was he investigated, and be careful as he did so. His duty was to confirm the presence of traitors in the Organization and put a stop to any plans to be had, ending it all with elimination if need be. But with the Oracle suddenly appearing, his plan needed readjusting.

Axel turned away from the two prisoners, silently rejoining Larxene and Marluxia at the crystal ball, a new plan forming around what was now going to be one hell of a wild card.

* * *

 

When Emryn finally decided to acknowledge her situation, like the responsible adult she was, Sora had just finished revisiting his memories of Agrabah. 

She didn’t know how much time had passed since her initial arrival, but it felt like too long. Unlike everywhere else, the concept of time was severely warped here in Castle Oblivion. It could have been a couple minutes, and days would have gone by in other worlds, or else days could be going by here, while in other worlds it had merely been a couple minutes. Given that her phone had stopped telling time a while ago, she didn’t even dare think to use it as a reference. 

Slowly stretching where she sat, she thought, ‘ _ Looks like I’ve wound myself in the ultimate destination fucked. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Catch-22. In dire straits. And any other idiom that means I’m screwed.’ _

No one could say that Emryn hadn’t received the message Marluxia personally delivered to her earlier. Nothing may have been outright stated, but the subtext between the lines had not been lost on her. How could it? He had her face in the palm of his hand. One move, and he could have ended her then and there, if he wanted too. The message had been clear: She could either do as she was told, or be put through hell until she acquiesced to his demands. 

Marluxia was not the kind of man to make idle threats. 

He broke down Naminé easier than a child breaking a toy to see how it worked on the inside. Her loneliness had been twisted to his advantage, forcing her to call out to Sora’s heart in order to lure him here, then trap him in a web of false memories. He turned her guilt into a single edged blade and held it right at her throat, increasing the detrimental emotion tenfold by projecting his actions on to her, convincing her that she was solely to blame for the outcome of everything. 

All that could be done to one person, and it was enough to break them into submission. But what he could do to her would be so much worse.

Everyone already seemed to know that all it took was a little riling up to get her to reveal things, but they would never consider launching an emotional warfare on her. No, to get through to her, Marluxia would subject her to a pain that was purely physical. He could make her scream until her throat was raw and her voice nothing more than a ghost of a whisper. He could take his time breaking every bone in her body, or carving away pieces of her with his deadly scythe. He could put her face to face with death itself, but only just so, and without a single expression on his face to drive the nail of cruelty home.

He could―  _ would  _ ―do all that, until she gave him what he wanted.

Her gaze moved on from the floor towards the crystal ball, turning into a glare as she saw Larxene watching Sora parade around around the halls of the castle. On the opposing side of the room was Axel. Though he seemed to be in his own little world― no doubt he was coming up with some plan to deal with Marluxia or something of the likes ―but she knew he was still very aware of what was going on around him. The pink haired asshole in question, though, had disappeared to somewhere else in this castle.

Turning her head away from the Organization members, Emryn chose to focus on Naminé instead. The girl kept her head bowed, glumly sketching in her notebook. The scratching of the colored pencils softly kept in time with the conversation coming through the crystal ball. Eventually, she stopped sketching to lean over and trade the pencil for another one from a little box on the floor.

Em glanced around again, before carefully scooting her way towards the girl. Naminé, so lost in her thoughts and drawing alike, didn’t seem to notice her endeavors as she steadily drew closer. She managed to maneuver herself to where she was between the wall and Naminé, crossing her legs and stretching to get a peek at the drawing. 

The first thing she caught a glimpse of was a spiky, brown, triangular mess that was undoubtedly Sora’s hair. The other thing she saw was an equally disastrous pointy hairstyle, but in yellow. Emryn lit up just a little as she recognized the character.

‘ _ That’s right! After Agrabah, the next floor was the Olympus Coliseum. Makes sense that she’s drawing Sora versus Cloud.’ _ She paused as an idea struck her, tilting her head a little. ‘ _ Huh, now that I think about it, I wonder if she needs to draw things from Sora’s memory in order to be able to properly visualize what she’s changing.’ _

Emryn considered asking about it, but stopped short before even opening her mouth. Though there was a constant stream of conversation coming from the crystal ball, it was mere white noise in the larger presence of an overwhelming silence, which dominated the room with an iron grip. She had always been pretty self-conscious about speaking in rooms that were like voids; everything said was something said too loudly, even if the words were spoken no more than above a whisper. It had turned into a point of wariness for her, and in this room, the need for caution was only further heightened. Everyone here was waiting to take what she said and devour it for themselves, twisting her words to suit their nefarious needs. 

No, she didn’t want to speak at all while in this room, not with these people. 

She felt a nudge on her shoulder, bringing her attention back to where she was presently. Emryn glanced up, meeting a pair of pretty and round aegean eyes, which were delicately overshadowed by a pale blonde fringe. Naminé blinked, her gaze quickly shifting downwards before returning again. Emryn’s brow furrowed and she stared in confusion. 

Naminé squirmed in her seat, crossing her legs to better tilt the sketchbook in her lap. Em looked at it, instantly interested in the colors popping off the page. 

While quality had always varied from game to game, there was always an artistic charm to be found in the style of everything. But nothing could ever compare to being there in person, seeing things with her own eyes. There were countless things in this universe that continued to surprise her, but Emryn still had yet to cease being amazed by it all. 

Admittedly, Emryn had always thought Naminé’s drawings weren’t particularly anything special to write home about. The graphics in the game had always made them look too messy and low definition for her taste, but then again, the game graphics hadn’t been doing a lot of things justice lately. Axel, for example, had always been good looking no matter what engine was used for his model, earning him a bit of a bias on her part, but in person his looks were more refined with never before seen detail. The same could be said of these drawings as well.

Seeing Naminé’s art up close for the first time was a bit of a surreal experience for Emryn. While the style itself was still messy, there was more shape to it, more  _ personality _ . The colors that made up Sora and Cloud’s battle blended seamlessly with each other, yet gave off the impression that, if one were to touch the picture, it would be rough. The edges, though, were soft and rounded, setting it apart as Naminé’s trademark. 

But while the art itself was beautiful, that hadn’t been what Naminé wanted her to see. As Emryn’s gaze slid across the page, she spotted something near the edge that did not appear to be a part of the picture. In small, red slanted letters, there was a short message.

_ Are you okay? _

Em looked back at Naminé in surprise, nodding. Had she been worried… about  _ her _ ? A faint sigh escaped her as she watched the girl begin to write something else. Honestly, this kid was too sweet. She deserved so much better than this.

As Naminé continued to write, an idea struck Emryn. Stretching where she sat, she checked to make sure that no one was paying strict enough attention to them, before pulling her bag into her lap and digging out her pen and journal. They could still talk without having to say a single word.

Quickly, she jotted something down, then poked Namine in the leg before handing her the notebook. 

**_Let’s write in this, so that way we’re not marking up your sketchbook with conversation. Oh, and I’m Emryn, by the way. Nice to finally meet you._ **

Naminé shook her head in agreement and rewrote her next message.

_ I’m so sorry, Emryn. I tried to warn you, but I failed. _

Emryn frowned.

**_Huh? Wait, don’t apologize for that. It’s really not your fault._ **

_ No, it is. Marluxia’s going to use you now. Just like he’s using me to get to Sora, even though I’m really just as guilty by leading Sora right to him… _

**_Hey now, don’t blame yourself, please. You’re not at fault in either case. Marluxia is a twisted piece of garbage who manipulated and abused your desires to suit his needs. As for me, well, that’s my fault I guess. I should have noticed your warnings. But honestly, I would have felt so guilty if I had just left you here._ **

**_Besides, Marluxia still might have caught me anyway. Not that I even know how he did it in the first place._ **

The memory of being manhandled by that tacky bastard― the first time ―was both a bitter and confusing one for her. Certainly, standing at the door like an idiot fell into the category of stupid things she’d done lately, but she still had no clue  _ how _ he knew she had been there. The Organization members were on that level of extra with their mode of transportation that they could appear somewhere just in time to catch someone talking shit about them. Walking through doors was basically an unnecessary action to them, most of the time. 

Naminé fiddled with her lower lip as she thought about her response. Eventually she jotted something down and handed the journal back.

_ I think that maybe it’s because he’s the Lord of this castle. Having dominance over this place gives him the ability to sense those in it. I can do it as well, but only for the hearts connected to Sora. But you… I can feel your presence too, even though you don’t exist in Sora’s heart. Something about you is different from everyone here. _

Emryn couldn’t hold back the snort as she read that, various things about Naminé’s verdict amusing her.

**_Well, that about sums up literally everyone's opinion of me so far._ **

**_And while your explanation makes sense, I just gotta say that Marluxia is most definitely not the real Lord of this castle. I mean, sure, Xemnas gave him the title, but Marluxia doesn’t even know how to unlock the secrets of this place. The one who_ ** **does** **_, though, has been trapped in the Realm of Darkness for the last nine or ten years._ **

_ So you really do have the power of foresight then? Maybe you shouldn’t be telling me any of this. Marluxia could make me manipulate you, too. _

Emryn scowled.

**_He can try, but I’ll kick his flowery butt before he even thinks about laying a hand on you. In any case, yeah, I guess you could call this “gift” foresight, but… Anyway, you’re right though. I shouldn’t be sharing much of anything, really. But even in writing I turn out to be a blabbermouth…_ **

Naminé stared at her reply for a long time. A slight frown pulled at her mouth, her brows furrowing in confusion.

_ You’d do that, even though we hardly know each other? You would defend someone like… me? _

For the first time since she got there, Emryn truly stopped and looked at Naminé. Before her sat a young woman, perhaps only just barely passing the threshold of fifteen, and already bearing too much of the world’s weight on her thin shoulders. She had been alone in this castle since the moment Kairi had lost her heart, spending day after day wistfully, wishfully. The only consolation she had for guests were the members of Organization XIII, but they were hardly what one would call desirable company. Not when they only wanted to experiment on her and use her power for deeds she did not wish to perform.

And it showed. From the sadness that sent her gaze somewhere far away, to the careful way she held herself― as if she would crumble to pieces if she didn’t. It showed, and it was painful. When Emryn looked at Naminé, she saw a reflection of the past, and it caused deep, old wounds engraved in her heart to crack open.

Yeah, hell would have to freeze over before she ever stopped defending Naminé. Even then, she’d go down fighting.

Emryn set the notebook off to the side and got on her knees. She reached for Naminé, latching on to the girl and pulling her into a tight embrace. It surprised her how cold the girl was to the touch, but it only convinced her to hold her even closer. Naminé went stiff. Having probably never once been hugged in her life, it startled her. Em squeezed her shoulders, gently patting the back of her head.

“No one deserves to be used and abused, Naminé,” she murmured softly into her ear. “Not even you.”

Naminé’s breath caught in her throat. Slowly and uncertainly, thin arms wrapped around Emryn, and she was squeezed back. It was such a small gesture, but it spoke of a quiet hope, like a small flower receiving the warmth of the sun for the first time. After a time, Emryn released Naminé. She leaned back, shrugging her coat off to sling it over the girl’s shoulders.

“Sorry if it smells, but I figured you needed it. You’re freezing!” she whispered. 

Naminé wiggled around in the coat, the deep wine color contrasting starkly against all her paleness, and pulled up the sleeves so her hands were free. Altogether, she kind of looked like she was drowning in it. Naminé curiously looked up to meet her gaze, offering a small, tender smile in thanks. 

That smile rapidly disappeared as her eyes drifted towards something behind her. Emryn whipped around just in time to watch Axel, crouched behind her, picking up her abandoned journal. 

Axel’s mouth quirked a bit as he caught the panic unfolding across her face, and he said, “Saw you guys being secretive and passing notes. Made me jealous, so I’m joining in.”

“Uh-uh. No way―”

“Is this one of our pens?” He cut her off by holding up the pen they had been using. It was, in fact, one of the Organization’s pens.

“Well, yes, but―”

“Huh. Interesting. Never would have pegged you for a thief of office supplies. Bet you horde this kind of stuff, too.” The man moved out of range when she tried to make a grab for her things. He briefly scanned over the last message, then scribbled something down on the next available line. With a smirk, he handed her journal back. 

Emryn huffed, embarrassed by the fact that he had just taken a shot in the dark and managed to call her out on her guilty pleasure, as well as mortified by the fact that her journal had been at his mercy. She may not have written much concerning Kingdom Hearts in it, but even just a little was too damning.

After giving him a suspicious, dirty look, Em finally took a peek at Axel’s message. Surprisingly, the redhead’s handwriting was not as terrible as she had been expecting it to be. Each letter was composed of sharp ends and flowing strokes, which sometimes connected to other letters like a loose afterthought to make it appear nicer. The message, however, was not nearly as nice as the handwriting.

_ A word of friendly advice: Don’t to let your emotions control your actions. You’re too easy to toy with otherwise. _

_ P.S Oh, and next time, don’t leave your stuff unattended.  _

‘ _ Friendly advice my ass,’ _ she thought sourly. ‘ _ Does he think I’m stupid or something? I mean, sure, I haven’t been at peak performance lately, but I’m getting there. All he did was succeed in annoying me, the prick.’ _

“Oh, did my little love note not please you?” Axel’s voice turned into a low purr. His expression, however, did not conform with the teasing lilt of his words. However mocking he sounded, he was still trying to give her a warning. He wanted her to stay back and not complicate things.

“Well if that’s all you had to say,” she sniffed, “then you may as well have not bothered to say anything at all.”

His eyes narrowed, but he continued to speak lightly. “I see. Then you’ve already failed step one.”

Before Emryn could formulate a snippy response, she was interrupted by the sound of heeled boots clacking across the marbled floor. They all looked over at Larxene as she sauntered her way towards them, a sneer maring her features. 

“Is the new toy  _ still _ refusing to cooperate?” she demanded arrogantly. To answer her question, Emryn turned her cheek and clicked her tongue. Larxene made a disgusted sound from the back of her throat.

“Now now, have a bit of patience, will ya? It’ll take a bit of convincing, but eventually we’ll get her to see things  _ our _ way.” Emryn bristled at Axel’s assurance. Like hell she’d ever be brought around to their line of thinking. Bright green eyes flashed dangerously in her direction, and she rolled back on the incoming attitude.

“This ‘ _ Oracle’ _ should just get with the program already. Can’t she ‘ _ see’ _ that she’s got no other choice.” Larxene airily waved her hand around, as if that would dispel the simpering tone she had thrown into the atmosphere.

Emryn grit her teeth, feeling approximately two seconds away from either committing physical murder, or jumping up and launching herself into argumentative essay mode. It was equal parts weird and problematic for her. On one hand, Larxene’s blatant dismissal of her so-called powers really shouldn’t have bothered her― they were, in all technicalities, actually fake powers. But on the other hand, the blonde’s doubt in her ‘ _ abilities’ _ was also a form of unwittingly calling her on her bluff. If she didn’t defend herself, she’d be put under scrutiny over the truth about her powers, if she did defend herself, then she would only succeed in giving the enemy the exact kind of information they wanted. It was a tricky ‘ _ damned if she did, damned if she didn’t’ _ sort of situation.

Larxene continued to move, pivoting herself towards Naminé. She swung around behind the girl, one hand trailing along the back of the chair. She eyed the jacket Emryn had given the teen, scoffing, “What a tacky jacket from a tacky little girl.”

“Funny, I was just about to say the same about you.” Emryn made a move for her bag and shoved her journal into it, reveling in the strangled sound that escaped Larxene. She looked up, locking eyes with a horrid green gaze, the other woman’s eyes reminding her of the algae that collected in the bottom of a pond. It was like looking into a vast well filled to the brim with nothing but every distasteful emotion known to man. 

Moving slowly, Larxene reached up and began petting Naminé’s head, catching strands between her fingers and trailing them away. The girl flinched at the contact, and Emryn’s defense meter skyrocketed. Behind her, Axel tensed.

“You should just join up already,” came the haughty command. “Follow Naminé’s lead, she’s such a  _ stellar _ example of how a toy should behave. Your life will be much easier if you do.”

“Right, because allowing you to verbally and emotionally abuse me every step of the way will solve everything,” she spat. “Peachy. Love the plan.”

Larxene held a hand to her mouth and  _ giggled _ . The sound was wrong on so many levels. “You say that like the little witch actually  _ cares _ about anything― like she has  _ feelings _ .”

A low groan escaped Axel. No doubt his face was in his hand at this point.

“Everyone’s got the capacity to have feelings,” Emryn said hotly, finally standing up. “Even you Nobodies can do it. Sure, you may think you need hearts to emulate these emotions, but what’s the point when you’ve still got your memories? You’ve just been living the past decade with blinders over everything.

“For example,” she closed the distance between them, swatting Larxene’s hand away from Naminé and pulling the girl out of her seat, “you all act out in fear when you interact with Naminé. Fear leads to aggression and desires to display dominance, which leads to bullying those you see as beneath you.”

Naminé retreated behind her. Desperately, she tugged on the sleeve of her shoulder. “Emryn, stop! You can’t fight her!” she whispered pleadingly. 

But Emryn was on a roll. She could feel the fire in her veins now! “The truth of it is, Naminé is so much more powerful than you, and it frightens you! You’re afraid of her and what she can do, so you belittle her and force her to conform to your will in order to use her powers your way, and your way only. And it’s all because she can take away the only thing Nobodies truly possess from your days as a Somebody, and that’s your memories!”

Larxene’s face had gone bright red, matching the livid heat blazing in her eyes. Quick as a flash, her hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of grey fabric, pulling Emryn within painful proximity of her face. Hot air blew over her as Larxene hissed.

“Watch what you say, or so help me you won’t have a tongue to say anything with!”

“The fact that you respond with anger and violence in your defense only proves what I’ve been saying!”

Emryn was not a master in the art of self-defense. Instead, what she possessed was a minimal amount of applicable knowledge and a knee-jerk reaction that came from years of sudden struggle matches against her brother and father. The instant Larxene’s threat clicked as becoming a reality, her right hand closed partially, the fingers curling and pulling back hard from the palm to reminisce the shape of a large cat paw. The next second became a blur as her mind panickedly went onto autopilot and shot her hand forward, sending her knuckles crashing dead center into Larxene’s ribcage.

Surprised, the blonde released Emryn with a wheeze. Em stumbled backwards, her knuckles throbbing from the punch. When she looked at Larxene again, she was met with a poisonous green glower. 

Larxene threw her hand out, and her hair stood on end. Ozone tainted the air with every pop and crackle, and in a cacophonic burst, three gold tipped knives appeared between her fingers. The woman lunged with a snarl curling her lips.

“No!” Naminé cried, but it was already too late.

Black and red flashed in her peripheral, and suddenly Axel was between them, trapping Larxene’s raised hand high above her with a deathly grip. He forced her to dismiss her weapons with a single squeeze. Axel’s glare was like dry ice― cold enough to burn ―and it wasn’t just reserved for Larxene. 

Emryn froze under his scrutiny, but did not back down in deference to him.

“ _Cool it,_ _Larxene_ ,” he seethed. “Need I remind you what we’re trying to achieve here? We need the Oracle _alive_ and in _one piece_ , if we are to succeed in taking over the Organization.”

She jerked her hand away from him. “Quiet! You may be in on it too, but keep it under your hood.”

“That’s enough, all of you.” A disembodied voice echoed in the cavernous room, and everyone stilled. Moments later, a purple haze appeared, and from it came Marluxia. He observed everyone with a blank expression. Once those bright blue eyes landed her, though, they stayed there. Emryn swallowed hard.

“Perhaps what we need, is a change. Things would be easier if the Oracle were to  _ truly _ become one of us, no?” 

Each word was spoken slowly, deliberately, so that they would smack into her and reverberate painfully when the realization of their meaning dawned on her. Emryn went rigid. He wanted to make her one of  _ them? _ As in, turn her into a  _ Nobody? _ That meant dying, and considering how difficult she had been making things for them, surely that would mean her death would not be quick and painless. All the torture Marluxia would have put her through over a span of time would doubled and condensed, until she breathed her last.

“You say that like I won’t come back with all the memories where I still clearly hate you,” she snapped, though her voice quavered slightly. “What makes you think that turning me into a Nobody would ever change my opinion of you people?”

Blue eyes glowed cunningly. “Then we’ll just have Naminé do to you as she is doing to Sora.”

Emryn’s attention flickered towards Naminé, and the girl flinched, bowing her head in shame. It occurred to her, then, that she was at more risk than she had initially perceived. The threats of death were something she had always been aware of, having seen those coming for her on the horizon every time she opened her mouth, but she had jumped too quickly into the role of a big sister for Naminé to ever consider that she too could be used against her― even when Naminé herself had suggested the possibility. The possibility of her mind being warped to these traitorous Organization members wills was just as prominent as any death threat she had received. Her memories were in just as much danger as she had proclaimed a Nobody’s were.

She clenched her teeth together, looking away from Naminé to glare at Marluxia. ‘ _ I haven’t spent all this time defending Namin _ é  _ just to turn around and say I’m afraid of her too.’ _

“Naminé won’t do that,” she declared boldly. The pressure that came at her from all around was unbearable, but she met it with a steely, stubborn stance. Emryn refused to let them have their way.

“I…,” Naminé spoke up then, garnering everyone’s attention. She nervously wrung her wrists and looked up. “I  _ can’t _ change her memories. There’s an unfamiliar force that gets in the way every time I even try to look at them. So― So even if I wanted to, I…”

She looked to Emryn imploringly, silently asking for her to believe what she said. 

“ _ Ugh,  _ I don’t believe this! I’m out of here!” Larxene stormed around Axel. She threw a nasty look at Emryn, angrily jabbing a finger at her. “You won’t be so lucky next time. The next uncooperative words out of your mouth will result in you missing your tongue.”

A void of darkness sprung up around her, but before she left, Marluxia called out to her. “Larxene.”

He reached into his pocket and produced a card. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it flying towards the irritated woman, who caught it without even batting an eye. She disappeared into the Dark Corridor, and Marluxia turned back to her.

“You would do well to heed the advice that comes your way, Miss Oracle.” The darkness swallowed him as well, leaving her bristling at his words.

There was a single beat where no one moved, no one breathed. Axel broke that moment with a sigh, the look he gave her saying he was far more than displeased. Without any warning, he grabbed her by the upper arm and dragged her away from Naminé.

* * *

 

Axel released Emryn with a sharp glare, receiving a black look in return. Her face was flushed, mouth slightly agape as she huffed indignantly. A muscle feathered in her jaw as it clamped shut, her nostrils flaring, and a hard, stubborn challenge brewed a storm in her grey eyes. It was too much. Too much emotion. Too much humanity. Too much evidence of a heart. 

He was practically drowning in it, but Emryn was not the only one who could get angry. Sure, he may not ever actually feel that emotion ever again, but he could  _ remember _ . His memories were just a big, vivid collection of extra baggage for him. He could root through them all he wanted, but in the end he’d only come out with the echoes of ‘ _ used-to-be’s’ _ . They were generally worthless to him, but on occasion they held value. He may not have been able to feel, but he could remember, and through a memory he could recreate the appropriate reactions. 

‘ _ She had been something onto earlier,’ _ Axel thought, briefly flashing back to the moment before things had gone downhill. He blinked, shelving that thought to analyze another time. Right now, the Oracle was forcing him to take disciplinary measures.

“What was is it that I  _ specifically _ told you not to do?” he demanded lowly. “Wasn’t it something along the lines of not letting your emotions control your actions? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure that’s what I said. In fact, I  _ distinctly  _ remember telling you  _ exactly _ that. And now look where we are.”

“So what? You just thought I’d sit back like a good girl and let that  _ ―  _ have her way bullying Naminé? I think the  _ ― not! _ ” Emryn hissed back.

“Oh, and did everything turn out according to plan?” he sneered. “Now Larxene wants to  _ kill you _ . Is that what you wanted, oh great  _ Oracle _ ? Is that what was supposed to happen?”

Her body went rigid, knuckles turning white as her hands curled tightly into a fist. “Screw you! I’d rather die trying to defend someone over sitting on the side afraid but grateful it wasn’t me this time!”

Those words froze him. They reached deep within, snapping the locks on a tightly sealed suitcase open. Repressed memories rose like a tidal wave and swelled up from the depths of his mind, overwhelming him. 

_ Silent corridors. The coppery tang of blood tinging the air. The weight of his best friend sagging on top of him. The struggle of taking another step forward. Guilt. Fear. Desperation. A shadow emerging from the darkness. _

He blinked, sending the horde of memories back into their box, locking them in tighter than ever before. His physical heart quickened with the sudden rush. 

Those words held too much weight, resonating deeply with him, and within her. Though she appeared not to have noticed the torrent that had been unleashed upon him, he could clearly see the effect they had on her. It was like seeing a ragged warrior brandishing a cracked shield at him. They were heavy with personal experience, personal fears. 

He didn’t dare question what that meant. 

Eyes narrowing, Axel ground his teeth together. “ _ Fine _ . Have it your way then. Next time, I won’t even bother to get between you two.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have bothered the first time around.” Emryn shoved past him, purposefully knocking her shoulder into his own. She beelined it for Naminé, who cast confused glances between the two of them. 

He clicked his tongue as he ran a hand through his hair. Eventually he settled down, crossing his arms over his chest.

Why did that woman have to be so difficult? He had actually bothered to consider her safety in this entire situation, and she just went and chucked it out the metaphorical window! How was he supposed to get anything done if she kept making things more complicated than they needed to be? If she would just  _ stop _ trying to prove a point, then maybe, just  _ maybe _ , her circumstances would quit trying to kill her.

‘ _ And this is why she’s a wild card. I can’t even make a decent plan around her anymore… _ ’

Axel faced the crystal ball, deciding to ignore the woman for the time being. Larxene should be appearing at any moment to test Sora. Despite himself, though, he hoped Larxene would get her ass handed to her by that twerp. 

Sora, Donald and Goofy emerged from the room which had recreated Halloween Town. The moment they caught sight of Larxene, their defenses went up. Axel’s attention gravitated towards the shimmering light as the Keyblade materialized in Sora’s hand. 

“ _ Who are you? _ ” the boy demanded.

Larxene tossed her head to the side, flicking her hair back with a smirk. “ _ I’m Larxene. Say, Sora, are you enjoying your stay here, at the castle? _ ”

“Who could ever enjoy staying here?” His head cocked to the side as Emryn bitterly piped up. “Most the people here suck, the card system is a nightmare, and it’s too friggin’  _ white _ .”

‘ _ Point, point, and case, _ ’ he couldn’t help but silently agree.

“ _ I bet it must feel so nice to peel away all those worthless little memories and get to the, ah,  _ heart _ of the truth.”  _ Larxene snickered to herself, putting a hand to her mouth to hide the smirk that was still clearly visible. Axel frowned and rolled his eyes. Her antics needed to pick up the pace if they were going to get anywhere.

“ _ The heart of the truth? _ ” Sora eased out his defensive stance, causing the man to tsk at this. The kid may have been bright in some aspects, but there were some that were visibly, embarrassingly, lacking. Dropping his guard around suspicious looking people during a conversation definitely fell into the latter category. 

“ _ It still seems like you’re forgetting something super important, you know. _ ” Larxene sighed wistfully, turning away from him. Her voice raised an octave as she said, “ _ Why, when that poor girl hears that you’ve forgotten her name, she’ll be… she’ll be absolutely heartbroken!” _

Something shifted in his peripheral, and he tilted his head a fraction to see Emryn coming back ( _ and blatantly giving him the cold shoulder) _ , her focus trained exclusively on the events unfolding. It didn’t fail to escape his notice the amount of familiarity radiating in her eyes. She knew what was going on, and, undoubtedly, what was going to happen. His attention went back to the screen, now more interested than ever in what would come next.

“ _ You’re obviously the hero here, so that means you have to save her.” _ A wicked grin spread along Larxene’s face. “ _ Although… I’m one of the bad guys, so you’ll have to go through  _ me _.” _

She lunged with speed unparalleled, leaving only minimal reaction time for Sora to dodge― until he couldn’t even do that. She landed a kick that sent him tumbling, separating him from a particular good luck charm. It landed a couple feet away from him.

“ _ Huh? What’s that?” _ Sora’s unfocused gaze landed on the star shaped charm.

Axel shook his head. Not all that long ago, Sora had proclaimed that he would never forget the promise he made to Kairi, holding up a good luck charm made of pink and white seashells, which the girl had given to him before they parted. Now it seemed that he was just another mouse falling for the cheese in the trap.

“ _ Oh tsk tsk. You’ve been wearing it all this time and forgot?”  _ Larxene drew back, acquiring a haughty tone. “ _ No. That’s not possible. The memory has to be engraved somewhere deep in your heart. _ ”

A low growl came from his left, and he looked at Emryn again. “She pisses me off so much,” she muttered. “Sora too, sometimes.”

“His dim moments certainly test one’s patience, that’s for sure,” he agreed solemnly. Emryn said nothing more, still pretending he didn’t exist. Instead, she inched closer to the crystal, clenching and unclenching her hands. He idly wondered if she would end up breaking her skin again.

“ _ Sora, Sora― you think hard now. Who is the one most important to you? Release that memory from your heart.” _

A sibilant sound escaped Emryn this time. “Come on you dope. How can you not see it? You’re getting played!”

Of course Sora couldn’t see through anything― kid wasn’t skeptical enough to bother questioning the right things. Granted, she probably already knew that and was just venting her frustration. What was the point though? It wasn’t like it would do anything to actually  _ help _ .

“ _ Na… Nami…” _

“ _ Now you’re getting it. Think a little harder, why don’t you?” _

Emryn’s hand fell onto the crystal with a smack. Her gaze burned fiercely into it. A peculiar atmosphere seeped into the room, charging the air around him.The feeling crept through his cloak, his skin, toying with  his senses. Weightless, he floated. Heavy, he sank. Stuck, he remained hyper-aware of what was in the present. Green eyes widened in surprise. What was she  _ doing? _

At the same moment, Sora reached for the charm. 

“See through the illusion, you dolt!” The strange energy the room had acquired spiked at her demand, but disappeared quickly, as if sucked up into something else. As if  _ sent _ somewhere else. 

The feeling that had overcome him vanished, leaving him light headed, his vision blurry. Axel blinked rapidly, and the dizziness was dispelled. And it wasn’t the only thing, either. Sora paused, his hand hovering over the charm in confusion. Where there had been a cheesy, plastic yellow star, there was now an ornament of seashells. Larxene’s eyes bugged out of her head, while Goofy and Donald could only gawk. 

Behind him, he heard Naminé gasp quietly. “My magic…,” she murmured. “She broke… my illusion!”

Axel openly gaped at the young woman next to him, eyes wide. This woman, this  _ supposedly magic-less woman _ , broke through Naminé the Witch’s illusion? Was that what he had been feeling moments before? He had never encountered magic with such raw potence that it left him reeling. What was more, the caster didn’t even seem to realize she had done anything in the first place.

Emryn stepped away from the crystal, putting the back of her hand to her mouth. Her eyes squeezed shut and she held her breath. For a moment there it actually looked like she was going to be sick.

‘ _ Oh yeah,’ _ he thought as it clicked. ‘ _ She’s mentioned magic related things make her sick. And Vexen’s stated that her body still isn’t used to it.’ _

“Ugh, watching this is making me nauseous,” she mumbled, only confirming what he had speculated. Emryn retreated away from the crystal.

He put his hand to his chin, studying, contemplating. He still wasn’t a hundred percent certain about what had just happened, or even  _ how _ , but he knew that this development only added to what were already high stakes. If Marluxia were to find out that the Oracle had somehow developed some other power, the lengths he would go to covet it would increase astronomically. With the power of foresight and this new unknown gift, following after Naminé and Sora, it would only be a matter of time before Marluxia made a move and revealed his true colors. 

It was that exact scenario that he needed to prevent, and all that remained now was to execute it. He could probably get away with killing the Oracle in order to keep her out of Marluxia’s clutches; things got too messy, she was a liability, she’d be of better use to them as another Nobody― those excuses might fly with the Superior if he played his right cards. But then again, there was a good chance that she might not even be able to come back if he went down that route. If that was how things turned out, then he would wind up in worse places than the dog house. 

No, what he needed to do was find a place to stick Emryn until he could come back for her, and then he could take her back to the Castle That Never Was. She was better off just staying completely out of his way.  _ But… _

Axel eyed the way she clung to Naminé. It was protective and defensive, but also almost  _ dotingly _ . She was acting like an older sibling. He recognized the behavior easily, because once upon a time, he had been that way too. And because of that, he knew she wouldn’t just leave the girl to fend for herself, especially not after all that fuss she had made earlier. 

So if the two wouldn’t be separated, maybe he could just… let them go. He could leave it up to Naminé to undo the mess she helped create, and Emryn would just follow her, while he remained in the background, dealing with the traitors. At the end of it, he could decide if he still wanted to collect the Oracle and return with her or not. 

‘ _ For now, I’ll just make it so she can’t be monopolized by either side. It’ll be up to Saïx to determine if we really need her to reach the top.’ _

Axel nodded to himself and turned to face the crystal ball again. Things were falling into place bit by bit. All he needed to do now was wait for the opportune moment. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'know, I actually forgot that I had this account, otherwise this would have been posted not long after it got updated on the other site. W h o o p s. 
> 
> Anyway, please don't hesitate to leave a review! I'm always looking for ways to improve.


	8. The First Sparks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a lot of people die, and Emryn’s probably one of them. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

When Naminé had first awoken in Castle Oblivion, there had been absolutely nothing for her. From the moment she had become aware that she was a separate identity of something whole, she had nothing. There had been no one to greet her, no one to explain her reason for being, and absolutely no warmth at all. She was nothing more than the chill in the air that surrounded her.

It made her hollow. A frozen, fragmented vessel, broken away from a Light so ardent, so pleasant. She lived with memories that had been bound to one silly, hopelessly sweet boy and his princess. Their warmth always seemed so close, yet no matter how much she reached for it, she could not feel it for herself.

Naminé was cold and lonely. Naminé was a witch with no feelings to call her own. Naminé was just a shell full of negative space, which grew exponentially upon every waking second. It was the fault of being a Nobody, and it drowned her.

But like the others, she had found a way to breathe through the emptiness within― though it still continued to suffocate her, slowly. Even though the Light she felt was out of her possession, it never left her. Though she had been broken down, though she still remained frozen, there was always the Light to turn to.

Then, one day, the warmth finally drew near to her. It was barely a flicker in a never ending sea of darkness, but for a brief moment, Naminé had felt its presence. It touched her, and for a fleeting second, her shell did not feel like a shell at all. She was whole. She was… warm. It was proof that the hero was close.

The others knew, too, that her Light was approaching, and they demanded that she call out to it. Naminé wished she could say that she couldn’t bear to put that Light in danger. That she  _ wouldn’t _ . But an ugly part of her, a small, selfish piece, wanted that warmth to be closer to her, staying by her side forever. Once she had tasted the purity of a love unchained, something within her cried for it, helplessly, like a lost child. So many emotions overwhelmed her, and she was swept under in a sea of selfish confliction. 

And so, as Naminé’s first conscious act of human weakness, she called out to Sora’s heart.

Instantly, Naminé regretted her selfishness. She knew obtaining Sora’s warmth, no matter how much she yearned for it, was impossible. In the end, she would always be overshadowed by the one he held most dear; never to be known, never to be the one chosen.

The ache in her hollow chest only continued to consume her.

Until suddenly, a new Light appeared. 

Naminé stared at the deep, wine colored fabric adorning her arms. The color clashed against her stark white dress, but she found the longer she stared at it, the more pleasing it became to her; living in a kingdom of colorless wonder had left her senses sorely deprived, but now they were greedily taking everything in. It was also soft, and toasty, having gone from one warm body onto her own cold one, sliding smoothly across her skin every time she moved. The collar and sleeves had been stretched― probably as a result of an unconscious need to fidget with something ―and it caused the jacket to devour her slight frame. 

The hollow ache morphed the longer she stared at the jacket. It tickled, bubbling forth as it flowed around the void like cavity she had come to accept as part of who she was. It carried on until it had filled the hole, before spreading out through the rest of her body and chasing the chill away. The feeling was gentle and sweet, and it had been born within herself― something she could not wholly make sense of. It was familiar, yet new all at the same time.

Slowly, her eyes drifted up to study the one who had brought about this odd change within her.

Emryn was quietly seething as she leaned against the wall. Her attention firmly focused on the crystal ball across the room, wherein Larxene now currently battled with Sora for possession of the good luck charm, as it no longer represented Naminé’s illusion. Occasionally, steely grey eyes would break contact with the orb to flit towards Axel, hardening into a fierce glare for a split second, before looking away again. Naminé had only caught bits and pieces of their argument from earlier, but it had been enough to gather that neither was happy with the other― particularly on Emryn’s end. 

From what she understood, Axel had attempted to offer a forewarning to Emryn― perhaps when he had written in the journal, before the fight had been instigated ―but Emryn had not taken it. He acted upset with her because of it, and she in turn retaliated with true, raw emotion. In the end, they had clashed because Axel had tried to police Emryn’s morals.

It didn’t make any sense to Naminé. Why would she do that? Why would she put herself in danger for the sole purpose of protecting  _ her? _ Why was Emryn being so kind to her? Why did she treat her like a some _ one _ instead of a some _ thing?  _ What did Emryn see in her that she could not possibly see in herself? What was in her that warranted such  _ love _ ?

Love. The word made her pause. She knew as much about love as Sora and Kairi did, inexperienced as they were with the word’s broad spectrum, but their understanding of it as it was proved to be somewhat beneficial to her. What they knew of as friends was a pure and safe little emotion, which wrapped around them protectively, like a big, cozy blanket. It was a lot like the jacket that she had on now, which had been pulled over her shoulders with nothing but consideration for her in mind. The feeling that built up within her― it was so similar to what she had been yearning to call her own since she had connected to Sora.

In a way that was similar to Sora, Emryn was a warm light. But where Sora’s light was like a bright and clear summer’s day, Emryn’s was the soft but strong glow of a night light. Surrounded by darkness, she stood like a refuge for the weak and afraid, guarding against the monsters of the night, no matter how small and weak she herself was. Both were inviting, and safe, and Naminé was fervently drawn towards them like a moth to a flame.

Thinking of Emryn’s light reminded her of the brief glimpse she stole into the woman’s heart. No matter how short it had been, or how little she had seen, the heart she could almost touch had been undeniably human, yet it was beautiful to her all the same. Clear as glass, Emryn’s heart was a reflection of everything she believed and loved; the individual shards that were often meant to be a single mosaic shifted around so frequently, so quickly, that it was impossible to see and understand the whole picture they made. Memories of both light and dark quality flitted beneath the surface in tandem with one another. To Naminé, it was like looking at a prism, with fractals upon fractals of light warping and bursting into a myriad of colors. 

But before she could dive into the heart, something stopped her.

A magic unlike any she had encountered before denied her a way forward, sending a rush of numinous impressions and feelings she knew  _ of _ , but had not ever felt before, the moment she collided with it. The feelings were ancient, yet youthful all in the same breath; Cunning, yet still filled with ignorance; Tangible, yet fleeting enough as to slip through her grasp― like water through fingers. The magic was sentient, just as aware of her as she was of it, but some of it seemed to move slower, as if only half awake. Naminé was enthralled by its presence as much as she was terrified by it.

A voice, a whisper among whispers, had gently turned her away with a single message: “ _ Your methods of binding bonds have not yet proved true; you are not yet prepared to see this road through. _ ”

And then, like a door closing on her, Naminé had been shut out. She had tried a few times more since then to look into Emryn’s heart, but each time she had been opposed, though the enigmatic voice spoke to her no more. So, despite her curiosities and confusion, Naminé withdrew from the young woman’s heart, and tried to focus on Sora’s once again.

But no matter how hard she tried to focus on one heart, Naminé had grown an acute awareness of the other, and she sensed flares of the old magic each and every time Emryn bared her emotions as a weapon in the faces of the Organization members. When Emryn’s final outburst had broken a small part of her illusion on Sora, she had been stunned; she could still feel the way her carefully constructed chains had shattered, as if they had been in her hands the moment it had happened. What was more, though, was that Emryn― strange but seemingly harmless Emryn ―had not noticed the effect her words had produced. 

Was it because she simply did not recognize the magic within herself? Or was it because she needed to pretend it did not exist, in order to appear ignorant and remain safe? Naminé could not say for sure on the matter, but what she did know was that no one,  _ especially _ Marluxia, could find out about what Emryn was capable of. He would take that soft light of hers and utterly  _ break it _ . 

As if having finally sensed her attention, Emryn turned to look at Naminé, pulling her away from her contemplations. The young woman took note of the concerned, if not slightly distressed look Naminé gave her, and immediately her expression softened. She unfolded her arms and began to reach for her, lips parting to say something.

A resounding  _ crack _ broke the silence in the air, causing both of them to whip their heads towards the crystal ball. Inside it, Sora and Larxene panted, trading fierce glares with each other. Between them a massive portion of the pristine floor was charred beyond repair, the smoke that came from it polluting the air. The assault of emotions that bombarded Sora accosted Naminé without any warning, the scorching power that came from his anger leaving her winded. Unconsciously, she reached to clutch her chest, quivering in her seat.

After spending another futile second in the staring contest, Larxene gave up with a hiss, digging into her coat and pulling out the card Marluxia had given her. She turned her glare on the card for a moment, before making another sibilant sound and flinging it at Sora. The boy almost missed catching it, barely managing to grab it between his fingers.

“ _ What a real hero you are, thinking of some other girl at a time like this,”  _ Larxene spat. “ _ A real  _ heartless _ hero. We’ll see if Namin _ é  _ wants to be saved by you now.” _

“ _ Get back here!” _ Sora yelled furiously. He lunged at Larxene, only to attack empty air. The woman appeared a couple feet ahead of him again with a snarl on her face. She disappeared in the haze of the dark corridor. Sora lunged with another feral scream, demanding that she come back and face him. The image in the ball faded, and seconds later the real storm arrived.

Larxene was a blur as she came out of the dark corridor, falling upon Naminé in an instant. She felt herself being lifted off her seat by the fabric of her clothes, and the next second Larxene had shoved her face into hers, terrified aegean blue meeting with the spit fire of a poisonous green. 

“ _ What the hell was that you little bitch?! _ ” Larxene roared. “Do you think you can just turn on us  _ now _ and play the good guy?  _ Huh?! _ ”

“Get your filthy hands off her!” Naminé’s eyes widened in alarm as Emryn suddenly closed in on them, and she struggled to open her mouth and tell her to get away. Emryn raked her nails across Larxene’s face before wrenching her hands off and shoving her away. Naminé fell back onto the chair, shaking.

The air crackled dangerously as Larxene regained her balance, holding a hand to her face while turning a livid shade of red. In a heartbeat, she lunged.

Naminé’s hands flew to her mouth as she watched Emryn double over, Larxene’s fist landing squarely in the middle of her gut. Larxene doled out another rapid hit on Emryn, this time infusing it with magic. Sparks of electricity circled Emryn, and she went rigid with a strangled cry, this time falling to the ground.

“Just be good and stay out of the way,  _ little girl _ ,” the nymph sneered. She whirled around and stalked towards Naminé again. Larxene had always possessed a nasty temper, but until now Namine had never truly been on the receiving end of it. It made her physical heart stutter.

“What the hell do you think you’re playing at?” she demanded, grabbing the back of the girl’s head and yanking on her hair. A sharp whine escaped her as Larxene’s grip continued to tighten. “Did you think you could just go back on everything you’ve done up to this point? Get real! You’d be nothing―  _ nothing _ , without us!”

“I-I didn’t― I didn’t mean to!” she stammered. “I just― It wasn’t me!”

Her blood froze, instantly making her regret the words that came out of her mouth. She cowered into the chair, eyes flying wildly in every direction for a way out. Her attention landed on Axel, who had not left his spot near the crystal ball even as Larxene continued to become increasingly violent. His shoulders fell at her panicked declaration, and he shook his head. When he caught her staring, though, he looked away.

“ _ Wasn’t you? _ Do you think I’m stupid or something?!” Larxene lashed out, pulling harder on Naminé’s hair. She cried, tilting her head back even more in hopes that it would ease the pain. It only made her feel more exposed as she was forced to leave her throat unguarded. 

“Stop it!” Emryn demanded, weaker than before. She crawled towards Larxene and latched onto her coat. “Leave her alone, you hag!”

In one swift motion, Larxene spun around and kicked Emryn in the chest. Emryn rolled away, wheezing. “ _ You! _ How  _ dare  _ you fill this little witch’s head with ideas! I should have ripped your tongue out the first time I had the chance!”

She let go of Naminé and reached down, grabbing Emryn by the face as she summoned one of her blades. Naminé frantically looked towards Axel again, but he merely continued to pretend he saw nothing. Why wasn’t he helping?! He had been so quick to intervene before! Emryn was going to lose her tongue and it would be all her fault! Why had she blurted that out? Why had she said it hadn’t been her that broke the chains? Who else could have possibly done it that Larxene would believe?

Desperately, Naminé grasped at straws as she cried out, “It was Sora! He broke my illusion on his own!”

That caused Larxene to pause, though it didn’t quell her ire in the least. She shoved Emryn away and rounded on her again. “Are you  _ kidding me _ ? That brat’s dumber than a pile of bricks, and yet you expect me to believe that  _ he’s _ the one that broke your illusion?”

She swallowed around the lump that had formed in her throat, slowly shrinking into the jacket she had been given. “I’ve told you― no matter how close I try to get to him, I only bring him closer to  _ her! _ To Kairi!” Her voice soured with the tang of bitterness as the blame eagerly latched onto its favorite scapegoat. “It was his bond with her that broke it.”

Larxene’s eyes narrowed as she tried to detect the lie. Naminé gulped again, struggling to remain firm and not give it away. Her physical heart collided painfully against her ribs, and suddenly, Naminé was fully aware of its presence. 

“I think,” Axel finally spoke, causing all eyes to fall on his disinterested expression, “you’re just angry that you still lost to that twerp, even without the help of a false memory.”

The nymph growled, abandoning her previous business in favor of channeling her frustration on the redhead. Naminé sought the opportunity to scurry towards Emryn. She helped the young woman sit up, her hands trembling uncontrollably. As soon as Em was upright, she pulled the girl into a tight hug; she was shaking as well.

“Why you―!” Larxene’s voice raised an octave. “You don’t appreciate the  _ nuances  _ of―”

“An ungainly effort.” A nasally, disembodied voice sliced through the tension, creating a new mess of its own. Seconds later, Vexen emerged from a billowing mass of darkness. Emryn shot the man a disgusted look, her lower lip curling with a frown.

Vexen took one look at Larxene, raising an eyebrow. “What on  _ earth _ happened to your face?”

Immediately, Larxene’s hand flew to cover the angry red marks Emryn had bestowed upon her. She hissed at him. 

“That’s none of your business!”

He seemed to take that into consideration, shrugging as if to say that he hadn’t actually cared about the answer in the first place. Slowly, his indifferent gaze traveled from her towards the spot where the girls remained crouched on the floor. Both his eyebrows traveled to his hairline at the sight. 

“When did the Oracle arrive?”

“Awhile ago.” Axel waved his hand dispassionately. “Anyway, what brings you topside? Anything we can do to, ah,  _ help _ ?”

The scientist’s gaze did not waver from the girls as he responded, “I came to lend you a hand.”

A sharp growl was elicited from Larxene. “And why would you think we’d want your help?” she demanded.

Finally, Vexen’s sharp eyed scrutiny tore away from them, a rather haughty looking settling in his features as he shifted towards the other woman. He was looking down on her when he said, “You seem to believe this  _ Sora _ possesses great potential. I, on the other hand, remain unconvinced that he is of any  _ real _ value. I think an experiment is in order to show us if he’s truly worth all this coddling.”

An aggravated sigh escaped the nymph, and she placed a hand on her hip, waving the other one around as she spoke. “And there it is― the excuse for you to perform yet another experiment. Ugh,  _ typical _ .”

“I  _ am  _ a scientist,” he commented lightly, leaning back a little as he smiled. The action looked more sinister than friendly. “Experiments are what I do, yes.”

Axel rolled his eyes. “Whatever. You can do what you want.” He smirked then. “But I think testing Sora is just another excuse to test your valet.”

“ _ Valet? _ ” Vexen huffed. “He’s the product of pure research.”

Emryn sighed heavily through her nose, and Naminé glanced up. Aside from the exhaustion that evidently weighed her down, she appeared rather irked by the conversation in a way that made Naminé more curious over concerned. It was like she had heard this conversation more than once, and it was beginning to wear her out hearing it again. Considering that Emryn technically  _ did _ appear to know the future, then that scenario being the case didn’t seem all that far fetched to her.

She let go of Naminé then, wincing as she rubbed the spot where Larxene had kicked her. A twinge lanced through Naminé’s chest in response, and her eyes crinkled with the frown that fought to pull down her entire expression. Emryn was in pain now because of her. 

“Anyway…,” Axel’s voice snapped her concentration, and she looked at him as he pulled something out of his pocket. “Since you came all this way, you’re gonna need this.” He flicked a blue card in Vexen’s direction. “A most humble gift to my elder, in hopes that you put on a good show for us. That contains Sora and Riku’s memories of their home.”

“It’s just a card. What good is that?” 

Emryn’s head whipped around so quickly that Naminé actually heard it pop. Her brows furrowed as she looked on at the woman in confusion, eventually turning to look at the new guest. Her eyes widened the moment she saw him.

‘ _ Riku!’ _ she internally gasped. But immediately after the thought was rescinded. ‘ _ No, not Riku. A… Another fake.’ _

Indeed, though the boy’s appearance was most uncannily similar in likeness to the one Sora knew in his heart, this was not the real Riku. The most obvious thing that stood out to her was the way he garbed himself in the darkness. The real Riku was... well... he was adamant about even  _ acknowledging _ the darkness within himself. She could sense it in his heart, which wandered many, many floors below where she, and even Sora, resided. There was fear in him, while the fake before her was full of nothing but cocky arrogance― much in the way the real Riku had behaved before, when he had been tempted and then later possessed by Ansem.

Larxene sashayed forward a couple steps, an impish grin playing on her lips. “Well, with a little help from Naminé, you can have  _ all _ the memories of the  _ real _ Riku. She can even make it so you forget that  _ you’re _ the fake.”

“ _ What? _ ” Suddenly the fake Riku was on edge. He tensed, though uncertainty traced the edges of his actions. He didn’t know whether to flee or stay and attack.

The nymph cackled. Her foul mood from moments before was rapidly dissipating. The prospect of being able to have fun at the expense of others was too tempting to her. Naminé squirmed in her spot, unease forming like an itch at what Larxene was suggesting.

“In other words, we’ll remake your heart so you can be―,” she poked the air like she just popped a bubble, “ _exactly_ _the same_ as the real Riku! Kay?”

The replica gasped. “ _ Remake my heart?  _ Be like the real Riku? He’s a wimp that’s afraid of the dark! What would I want with the heart of a  _ loser  _ like that?!”

Larxene ignored him, turning towards the scientist with an eager glint in her eyes. “Any objections, Vexen? After all, he’s part of  _ your _ experiment.”

“It must be done,” Vexen conceded all too easily, not in the least bit concerned with his decision.

“No.  _ No way. _ ” The replica shook his head, the panic dawning on his face growing more and more evident as the seconds ticked by. He held up his hand and a cloud of dark energy sprung into existence, vanishing as it formed Soul Eater. “You’re betraying me?!”

“I told you I’d make good use of you,” Vexen sniffed. 

“ _ Relax _ kiddo,” Larxene put a hand to her mouth as she snickered. “I don’t think it’s gonna hurt… At least, not  _ that  _ much.”

“I’ll hurt  _ you!” _

Riku lunged at the woman. Larxene had a split second to yawn, before whirling around, generating a surge of energy before bringing her foot up to connect with the boy’s chest. With a cacophonic burst, the teen was sent flying back the way he came. Naminé winced as he hit the floor.

Emryn shakily pushed herself onto her knees. Naminé whipped around, her focus immediately training on the fierce look brewing in the storm trapped in the woman’s eyes, already so familiar with the defensive nature they possessed. Her chest seized suddenly― images of a fading light assaulting her mind ―and before she knew it, she had snatched Emryn’s arm and held on with the little power she possessed to keep her from running to stand in the line of fire. Those grey eyes turned on her, and she almost froze completely.

“ _ Please don’t,”  _ she silently begged. “ _ Don’t make her angry again.” _

Understanding filled Emryn’s eyes, but to Naminé, it only made the woman look sad. She carefully pried the girl’s cold fingers away, shaking her head. As much as she understood what Naminé was trying to avoid, Naminé too also knew that Emryn would not just sit idly by. She didn’t want to let the bully win.

Hopping to her feet, Emryn bolted across the room. Axel and Vexen turned to see her fly by with varying looks of surprise and disappointment. Just as Larxene was about to close in on the fallen replica, the young woman managed to stumble to a stop between them. She quickly planted herself in a defensive stance in front of the boy, her chest rising and falling heavily. 

Any pleasantness that had built up in Larxene evaporated in the blink of an eye. She growled at Emryn.

“Out of the way, little girl.”

Emryn huffed heavily in exasperation. “First off, I’m almost twenty, so start coming up with better insults. Second―  _ No. _ ”

“What are you possibly trying to accomplish?” Vexen prodded. “It’s not like this replica’s fate should be of any concern of yours. Unless… he is important, somehow?”

“You weren’t here earlier, so you missed the debacle that happened then,” Emryn began, deftly trying to avoid answering the question, “but I just can’t stand you guys treating these kids like they’re play things.”

Larxene scoffed. “But that’s exactly what they are.”

“ _ No. They’re not. _ They’re their own people, just like  _ you’re _ your own self.”

Naminé was taken aback. She was… her own person?

“Well the  _ fake _ that you’re so pathetically trying to defend  _ is. _ It’s just a doll no matter how you look at it, and by definition, Dolls. Are.  _ Toys _ .”

“You gave him a heart of his very own, yet expect him to be okay with you guys wanting to  _ change it?  _ Who wouldn’t freak out about that?!” Em clenched her fists tightly. “You guys could  _ totally  _ just feed him lines or something, and Sora wouldn’t know any better! It’s not like he’s been able to see through any of  _ your _ acting or anything.”

That seemed to strike a nerve, whether Emryn had been intending for that outcome or not. Naminé watched in mounting horror as Larxene grew more and more tense.

“ _ I’m warning you _ ,” the nymph snarled.

“ _ And you’re not listening! This is why you don’t understand anyth― _ ”

No one even had the time to register what was happening until Larxene stood above Emryn, who teetered dangerously to the side as she held her face in her hand. Something light clattered to the ground a couple feet away, and when Naminé squinted, she saw that the sound had come from Emryn’s glasses. Larxene threw a right hook into the other woman’s side. Emryn didn’t have any time to recover as she hit the ground, immediately taking the full brunt of Larxene’s pointed boot in the ribs. Emryn choked as she inhaled and cried out at the same time. Sparing her no mercy, Larxene landed another sharp blow on her left side.

“Listen up,  _ bitch _ . Just because you happen to know what’s what in the future doesn’t give you a free pass to interfere as you please.” 

“Just because―,” Emryn gasped desperately between words. “Just because you― you think you’re all that― it doesn’t give you a― a free pass to toss others― under the bus like you do!”

The replica of Riku watched, frozen, as this woman― this complete and utter stranger to him ―got beaten down with eyes wide open. Slowly, without seeming to realize what he was doing, Riku had picked up his keyblade again and prepared himself to charge forward. Emryn grunted  as she was kicked again. It caused something in him to snap, and he grit his teeth, leaping at Larxene once more. Larxene watched in disdain, raising her fist to meet the boy. In a blast of pure electrical energy, she shot him so hard that he flew into the wall with a heavy  _ crack. _

Riku did not stir.

Larxene returned her attention to Emryn, proceeding to press her boot into the young woman’s throat with no intent of letting up. Emryn’s struggles were rapidly decreasing as she drew in less and less oxygen. 

Naminé trembled where she stood. Her gaze flickered between the other members of the Organization, silently wishing―  _ willing _ ―that one of them would put a stop to this. That someone would prevent Emryn from  _ dying _ . But neither Vexen nor Axel appeared interested in intervening, and that only further added to her distress.

She felt like she was going to burst; her head was filled with conflicting thoughts screaming at her, begging to be released, while her chest felt too heavy for a hollow cavity. She couldn’t hear anything anymore over the thunderous sound of her beating heart. Naminé was no longer able to breathe through the misery, sent back to square one as she drowned, drowned,  _ drowned  _ in it all. 

She was absolutely  _ terrified _ . All this time, she had believed that she would never get anything out of this existence. No knight in shining armor. No gallant rescue. No warmth.  _ Nothing _ . She had let herself be convinced she would always be alone, always be cold, even after trapping Sora by her side in a web of lies. Naminé had never possessed a shred of hope in her life.

Her frigid hands gripped the warm sleeves of a bright red coat.

Yet somehow, warmth had found its way to her. It may have only been a spark flying away from the flame of something bigger, but it had found  _ her _ , and now it waited to see if she would take it, and make it grow.

Before Naminé was a choice: She could either stay where she was, afraid but safe from the pain, or she could take this spark and start a  _ fire _ .

Her feet had already begun moving long before her mind had made a decision, instead aligning themselves with something else, something deeper within. It prompted her to keep chasing that warmth in earnest, and to fight with everything she had. 

Holding her hands in front of her, the young woman charged straight for Larxene. She collided with the nymph, shoving her off of Emryn as hard as she could before collapsing to her knees in a trembling heap. Her breaths came sharply, and for what felt like a long time, she saw only the brightest of whites. Her head swam dangerously with the abrupt spike of adrenaline, and suddenly all she wanted to do was curl up next to Emryn and sleep.

“Why you―,” Larxene recovered first, taking a menacing step towards Naminé.

“I’ll do what you want!” Naminé yelled. She planted her hands firmly on the ground, bowing her head. “ _Just_ _please_ ― Stop it!”

The silence that followed made the air feel heavy. Naminé swallowed, acutely aware of every minute movement made, every rapid breath taken; her fingers tingled uncomfortably, and she felt close to falling over. Something shifted in her peripheral, and with a sinking feeling, she realized that the replica was starting to come to.

“If you’re going to do something, I think now would be the time to do it.” Axel’s quiet reply finally broke the tension, and she caved a little more with his words. A disgusted sound arose from Larxene’s direction, and the woman sharply turned away, no longer interested in what was about to take place. 

Unsteadily, Naminé turned to face the replica. She could have sworn she saw a tear escape his eye, and somewhere deep inside, she felt like crying too. But she shoved that feeling away, setting her shoulders back in a grim line. 

She had work to do now.

* * *

 

“Take it.”

“I will not.”

“Just do it. You’ll feel better.”

“Bold of you to assume how I’ll feel after I take it.”

Axel grit his teeth, his grip on the potion he was trying to offer to the injured woman tightening. “Will you quit being stubborn and just take the damn potion?”

Emryn simply turned away from him, making sure he got a good view of the broad discoloration taking over the right hand side of her face. Larxene had certainly wanted the Oracle to know she had been punched― she couldn’t even put her glasses back on, the light material being too much for her still tender skin. 

“I don’t get you,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Your eye is swelling so badly that you can hardly see out of it, you were nearly choked to death, and based on how you’re not even breathing properly, you’ve got a cracked rib or two. Why  _ wouldn’t _ you be leaping at the opportunity to be instantly healed? What is your  _ problem _ ?”

Her face turned a ruddy color, and she looked at him again with a sharp glare. “You’re my problem, ya prick!” she snapped with a labored breath, quickly clutching her midsection with a wince. Quieter, but no less angry, she continued. “I spelled it out for you loud and clear earlier: I’d rather die than sit on the side when I could have helped. You then told me you wouldn’t bother to help the next time it happened, and yet here you are now, trying to act like you’re actually concerned about my wellbeing! You’re so full of double standards, and it’s pissing me off!”

For that, he had no comeback. Slowly, he withdrew the outstretched potion. He studied the Oracle carefully, once again sensing the strain of personal experience in those words. Emryn held his gaze for a few seconds more before releasing another huff and turning away from him. She leaned back against the wall he had helped drag her towards, while Naminé had  moved to another room to begin rewriting the replica Riku’s heart. A soft hiss escaped as her bruised body protested with every movement.

“Why do you bother trying to change the things that are beyond your power to control?” he finally asked. Setting aside her ability to know the future, as well as the new freaky little magic trick she had produced, it was pretty obvious that the Oracle was rather powerless. He just didn’t understand why she bothered― and for a fake no less.

“When did you start allowing your circumstances to stop you from trying?”

Axel’s eyes widened with a start, the rebuttal stunning him. 

Emryn continued, having gone back to not looking at him. “I know you must think I’m stupid for being rash and constantly sticking my nose in a fight that’s not mine, but this is just who I am. I can’t ever tell myself that I don’t care, to just stay out of it, because I end up caring so much that it winds up being visible from space.” There was something bitter in her expression as she smiled. “Conflict is always scary, and I may say or do the wrong things a lot because of it, but I refuse to go down without doing everything I can to make sure the ones in trouble are safe.”

Silence bridged between them as he pondered her answer. Once again, her words tried to stir something within him. This time, though, instead of unleashing a torrent of memories, they gently prodded at an old ideal; a ghostly echo of the someone he had once been. It was unsettling, and it only further reminded him of why he needed to be wary of the things the Oracle said. Anything that came out of her mouth had the uncanny ability to morph into something almost tangible, and he didn’t like that in the slightest.

Still…

“Well, it’s not like being half dead is beneficial to anyone, if you’re going to be like that,” he murmured. Quietly, he offered the potion again, carefully setting it nearby. Without another word, Axel stood up and walked away.

After staring at the potion for awhile, Emryn hesitantly reached for it and tucked it away in her bag. Axel continued to watch the woman from afar, though she did nothing else but rest her head against the wall once again.

Eventually, Naminé returned from her business with the fake Riku, and she hurried to join Emryn on the floor. The girl cast him a rather hard, almost  _ accusing _ look as she settled down. A brow rose at the unusual action. Naminé quickly looked away, but did not stop with the odd behavior. 

She sat near Emryn almost in a way that appeared to be seeking comfort, yet remained just out of reach like a child stubbornly hovering just far away enough from her mother. It was awkward, and Axel found it to be incredibly human for someone that was just as void of such clingy sentiments as he was. 

‘ _ Something about her is changing,’ _ he noted carefully. 

Naminé had always been a quiet presence, even to the point where she could almost be described as somber. She was a broken pawn trained in the art of doing as she was told. It was a little pathetic in all honesty, but it was also what made her so manageable. She had always lived and breathed like a puppet, yet now― Now she seemed to be realizing that maybe, just maybe, she had never actually come with strings in the first place.

Whatever it was the Oracle had done to her, its consequences were starting to gain momentum. 

The door groaned as it opened, stealing his attention, and in stepped the replica. The boy looked around in confusion, until vibrant teal eyes alighted on the blonde girl across the room. Like a lens shifting into focus, his demeanor changed into one of recognition and familiarity, a sense of purpose settling itself on his shoulders, as if it had always belonged there. Riku confidently strode towards Naminé.

“How are you feeling, Naminé?” he asked softly. The witch refused to look him in the eye, instead burying herself further into Emryn’s jacket, like it would make her invisible. The Oracle herself could only stare at the replica with a look of deep-rooted regret.

Riku seemed to interpret the reaction according to whatever warped memories Naminé had planted within him, his attitude turning venomous as he voiced his conclusion. “It’s Sora again, isn’t it? That idiot! Him trying to find you― it’s making you remember what happened back then, and it’s hurting you!”

The boy fell to one knee, so he could be eye level with her, and pulled out a charm. The item vaguely resembled the star from the first illusion Naminé had cast over Kairi’s good luck charm. Though still made of thalassa shells, it was a yellow-white gradient in color and bore no face on the uppermost shell. Perhaps because of the confusion that had been wreaked earlier, Naminé had been unable to go back to her original design right away, so she layered enough differences with the similarities that it could trick Sora again and bring him closer to her. 

“I swear it on this― the good luck charm you gave me ―that I’ll make him go away. And then you can forget everything and be happy again.”

Naminé flinched, as if his words had burned her. Riku didn’t seem to notice this, his gaze having suddenly turned towards Emryn. For a couple seconds his eyes lingered on the Oracle, burdened with a strange intensity, before he stood up again and began to walk away.

“See ya,” he called over his shoulder.

A slight frown tugged at the corners of Axel’s mouth, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. ‘ _ Now what was that about?’ _

Axel put a hand to his chin as Riku left the room. The way he had looked at Emryn― it was like he remembered her, and to some degree, what she had tried to do for him. Did the replica happen to possess residual memories from before his heart was rewritten? Perhaps he experienced something akin to impressions such as déjà vu or nostalgia? Or was it possible that he had just been looking at the Oracle and nothing more? Was he reading into this too much?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Vexen’s chuckling, and his attention was pulled toward the scientist staring eagerly into the crystal ball. “Now, let’s see what you’re worth, Sora,” he murmured forebodingly. 

Axel set aside his musings on the replica’s actions for the time being, though as he watched events unfolding, he carefully added any detail that stuck out of place to his stockpile. The idea that something funny was going on wouldn’t quit nagging at him.

Floor after floor, Riku and Sora went at each other, each one trying to get the other to abandon their cause and either join up, or go home. As things began to drag on, it became increasingly clear to Axel just how much the replica seemed to be diminishing in his commitment to fend off Sora. Was it just his imagination, or was the replica starting to become intimidated by the other keyblade wielder? Eventually, Riku just simply vanished, not even bothering to show up for another round. Perhaps the replica had been right from the start; the heart of the  _ real _ Riku was the heart of a coward.

At some point, Larxene had returned from her cool down session, now more reasonable, but no less unpleasant, than before. She had cast Emryn a baleful glare, but other than that, she made no other indication that the Oracle even existed. Emryn also made no effort to engage with the other woman, and thanks to that, there was at last some peace of mind to be had. Fragile peace, but peace nonetheless. 

However, when Riku failed to show up and challenge Sora once again, Larxene dove in to rip Vexen a new one. 

“Am I missing something? What’s going on, Vexen? Wasn’t your Riku supposed to be countering Sora? What could he possibly be waiting for? Where is he?”

Axel smirked, actually kinda enjoying the direction this conversation was bound to end up taking. He couldn’t help but add in his two cents on the matter. “Oh I get it. He must be hiding somewhere to lure Sora deeper into the castle, right? I suppose we should just leave it at that, you know.”

A vein began to throb in Vexen’s forehead as he ground his teeth together.

Larxene’s voice pitched higher, the tone dripping with simpering sarcasm. “Oh I see now! Pretty clever idea, for a toy.  _ So sorry, _ Vexen.”

The scientist snapped, taking a step forward and sweeping a hand out in a wide arc before him. 

“ _ Silence!” _

Larxene’s façade vanished instantly, and she crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. “Predictable response. It really just goes to show how  _ boring _ men without hearts are.”

“Oh,  _ as if _ you’re one to talk! Like you have such a heart to speak of yourself.”

“ _ That’s enough. _ ”

Everyone turned with a start. Seconds later, Marluxia appeared from the darkness of a portal, flaunting a bit of unnecessary flare as he flipped back his hood. ( _ Seriously, he was wasting his dramatic antics on the wrong crowd, Axel couldn’t help but think. _ ) Vexen tensed even more at the other man’s arrival. 

“Vexen, the simple fact of it is that your test was a failure.” Marluxia kept walking until he was a couple feet away from the scientist. “Do try not to disappoint us again.”

“Disappoint  _ you? _ ” Vexen snarled. “How  _ dare  _ you! In this organization  _ you _ are at the bottom! I am number four, and I will not tolerate this―!”

He gasped, jumping back as Marluxia’s scythe materialized mere inches from his face. Said man maintained a level gaze as he aimed his weapon at the scientist. His next words came out calmly as he addressed his adamant senior. 

“I’ve been entrusted this castle and its occupants by our leader. Defying me will be seen as an act of treason against the Organization.”

Axel cocked his head to the side, finding their ‘ _ leader’s’ _ choice in words rather interesting. Funny, Marluxia was acting almost as if he were the face of the Organization. No matter, he knew what the man was aiming for. All he needed now was an answer to the how. It wouldn’t be long now before he could take out the trash.

“Traitors are to be eliminated,” he yawned. “I do believe that’s what the rules say.”

“We don’t need half rates ruining this mission anyway,” Larxene added.

The scientist grumbled at their lack of support; no doubt he was making one of his bug-eyed expressions, the kind that was specifically reserved for when he was both irritated and outnumbered. He often made those kinds of faces during an argument.

A faint smile dawned across Marluxia’s face. “Vexen, you cannot win against Sora.”

“Pity to be so ignorant.” Vexen sniffed, adjusting his stance to appear more indifferent. “As you’re only able to see the surface of things, I should not expect you to appreciate my true might.”

A soft, questioning  _ ‘oh’  _ escaped Marluxia, and he dismissed his weapon. “Then let us watch as you prove it.”

“ _ What? _ ”

‘ _ Well, he certainly walked into that one,’ _ Axel mused.

Marluxia turned around. “None of us wish to be suspicious of a comrade.”

“ _Tch._ ” Vexen went stiff as dark tendrils began to wrap around him. “Your insincerity is comforting.” And then he vanished.

Axel raised a brow. “Challenge Vexen like that, and you’re asking for him to  _ annihilate  _ Sora.”

“That would be a most unfortunate denouement.” The assassin began to walk away. He moved towards the far opposing wall, heading for the girls that huddled close to each other. Axel noted the way Naminé shrunk closer to Emryn’s side again at the sight of Marluxia’s approach, her fear of the man still apparent, even in the face of her newfound bravado. Yet despite her evident terror, she still managed to keep the Oracle from putting herself further in the spotlight by holding her back.

Marluxia crouched before the two, making sure all eyes were on him. 

“Your hero is soon to be wiped from existence. But I believe there is a certain promise he made to you, is there not?”

Naminé swallowed hard and gave a stiff nod of her head.

“I’m warning you though,” Larxene said suddenly. She didn’t make a make a move to join her pink haired leader, but the distance didn’t do anything to deter her threatening aura. “If you do anything to betray Sora’s feelings, then you and I are going to have a  _ chat _ . Understand, little one?”

Marluxia threw a warning look over his shoulder at the same time Emryn wrapped both arms tightly around the girl, giving her most aggressive look yet despite her injuries. Marluxia turned around again, zeroing in on the Oracle and receiving her harsh glare next.

“And as for you― I do apologize for your treatment thus far, but I’m beseeching to you now that you open up to us. Anything you have to offer in our efforts to keep Sora alive would be most helpful.”

Axel’s eyes narrowed. While he didn’t trust Emryn to not saying anything stupid, he  _ did _ trust her disgust in Marluxia to keep her from revealing anything of possible importance to him. With the way Marluxia was phrasing things, it was clear he was trying to sound innocent enough that it might possibly trick her, but he highly doubted that would fly by her without a vicious retaliation on her part. 

Emryn gave the pink haired man a look that could only be described as knowing the man thought she was stupid, and she wasn’t pleased about it in the slightest.

“You’re  _ beseeching  _ me? What era are you in? The 1800’s?” She shook her head, wheezing, “No one even says that anymore!”

“To beseech is to ask or request.” Axel could hear the frown forming in his words. “I believe I was using the word in its correct context, no?”

Emryn rolled an eye. “ _ Ah. Yes. _ Thank you, Webster Dictionary, for answering a question I didn’t even ask.”

A tense moment of silence passed over them. And then―

“Nothing happens to Sora, does it.” It was more of a quiet assertion over a question, and it appeared to unsettle the Oracle just a little. She averted her gaze, which caused Marluxia to release a soft snort, before he stood up and began to walk away.

“Perhaps from now on we should start listening to your silence. You tend to tell more than you think in it. Thank you for your time, dear Oracle.”

Emryn inhaled sharply, and Axel watched her recoil in both surprise and pain.

“Axel.” His head jerked in the direction he’d heard his name come from. Marluxia stood in front of the crystal ball, now alight with images of Vexen and Sora clashing, his face an unreadable mask. “On the off chance that Vexen goes rogue, I trust that you know what needs to be done?”

A bored mask of his own slipped over his face. He waved a hand to the side, shrugging as he replied, “Haven’t got a clue, really. Perhaps you could spell it out for me?”

“You said it yourself.” The assassin’s voice went soft again. “ _ Traitors need to be eliminated. _ ”

He sighed, feeling the pull of darkness as he opened up a portal behind him. Turning around, Axel shook his head and enveloped himself in a murky black. 

“ _ No taking that back later, _ ” he muttered, voice pitching oddly in the inbetween of the realms. And with that, the door closed behind him without another word.

* * *

 

Emryn chewed on a corner of her lip that was not already bruised, breathing in light, half breaths. Unease crept into her and settled at the core of her being like a ghostly weight. She had done her utmost best to not give anything away, and yet, somehow, Marluxia had  _ still _ been able to get a read on her! Whether she was silent or using her voice, it seemed she was doomed to always fail at keeping even just a little bit of her knowledge a secret.

She felt a gentle squeeze on her arm, and turned to see Naminé’s big blue eyes searching her intently. Em tried to give her a weak smile despite the ache that constantly thrummed in her cheek, but gave up quickly when it caused the girl to frown. Em sighed and reached with her free hand to pat Naminé’s head. 

Ever since Naminé had been forced to reset Repliku’s heart ( _ no thanks to her, this time _ ), Emryn had noticed something was off about her. She couldn’t place her finger on what it was that seemed different; the shift was too imperceptible to tell if it was really even there. At the very least, she seemed more determined to keep Emryn from running straight into trouble. 

It was a warming thought to think Naminé was trying to look after her, but she couldn’t stop the guilt that came clawing after. She was doing a real sucky job at protecting these kids.

“ _ As I suspected, you weren’t one to die easily. _ ” Superior, nasally tones yanked at her attention, and suddenly her unease returned in double the amount.

Emryn knew that she was about halfway through the plot of Chain of Memories now, but she wavered on her knowledge of what would come next. Axel having left just a couple minutes ago wasn’t supposed to have occurred until  _ after _ Vexen had given Sora a card crafted from Roxas’ side of his heart. If he went and killed Vexen before Sora got to Twilight Town, who knew how much the story would diverge from canon. And if the story was no longer as she knew it, her cover as an Oracle― which was consequently the only reason she was even still alive at this point ―would be stripped from her, and she would definitely be killed then. 

A shiver spidered down her back. 

She dug out her glasses from her bag, sighing a little at the cracks in the left lens, and hesitantly stuck them on. The pain wasn’t as bad as it had been earlier, so even the light weight of the frames could be tolerated to the point of being ignored now, though only one eye was actually functional. Carefully, she watched events unfold, waiting to see if Axel would arrive before his time.

After delivering the card to Twilight Town to Sora, the scientist vanished. Vexen played it safe by not returning to this specific room. However, she couldn’t stop holding her breath. What if he was attacked when he wasn’t around Sora? What if he never got to have his speech and jarringly quick death the way he was supposed to. Emryn didn’t particularly enjoy the thought of having to witness his death in real time, but she would certainly feel better after she saw him die as he had done in the games. 

“ _ Huh… It almost feels like I’ve been here before,” _ Sora murmured. 

“ _ Gawrsh. Maybe it’s like your memories of Naminé!”  _ Goofy exclaimed. “ _ Since we came here then you’ve been rememberin’ all sorts a things, ya know?” _

Sora shook his head, looking around the clearing leading up to the old mansion. “ _ Mm, no. This is different. With Naminé, my memories came back in pieces. But with this, it’s more like an idea that I must have been here before.” _

“ _ So, feeling nostalgic? _ ”

Sora immediately dropped into a crouch and summoned his keyblade. Emryn observed this, her anticipation mounting as memory worked in tandem with reality. She had watched this game one too many times to not have this part memorized. 

Like clockwork, Vexen and Sora fought. It was intriguing to Emryn, despite knowing the outcome of this battle, how they utilized the card system in real life format. It vaguely reminded her of the trading card battles kids would play all the time during recess, only with higher stakes and a lot more magic. Between the two, they would summon a variety of cards to form various combos, then immediately it would be sucked up into the weapon, and they were sent off into a sort of pre-automated attack. Whoever could form combos faster would use the first deck to knock the other person’s card out of existence, and then unleash another attack directly after, and so on so forth. Eventually, Sora managed to obliviate the last of Vexen’s cards, sending the man careening into the big metal gate that guarded the mansion.

Vexen attempted to dissuade Sora from pursuing Naminé, but the Keyblade wielder was adamant about what he perceived to be the truth, and so the Nobody’s words were rendered useless as they fell on deaf ears. And then in the blink of an eye, Vexen had been knocked over again by a wheel of fire. Emryn averted her eyes as the death scene unfolded, but she could still hear everything; Vexen’s screams as he burned alive were animalistic, the sheer  _ terror _ in them echoing like a haunting note in her mind.

“ _ What― What  _ are _ you people?! _ ” Sora demanded, his voice hoarse.

Axel responded with a low sigh. “ _ Don’t know. I wonder about that myself sometimes. _ ”

Emryn looked up as the staticy twang phased closer, watching Axel stride into the room. He looked more worn out than when he had left. She couldn’t stop the familiar twinge of sympathy that raced through her heart. The genuineness of his previous statement had always made her feel bad for him, only adding to her bias, but she quickly sought to quash the feeling. She couldn’t feel like that right now! She was still angry at him, dammit!

This was  _ reality _ , not a  _ game. _ And in reality, Axel was a lot more self-motivated than she gave him credit for, leading to a plethora of double standards and hypocritical behavior that practically glared at her no matter the act he donned in the moment. Right now, she just couldn’t trust him.

Her jaw tightened. God, it was so difficult to not rely on the image of him she had built up in her head. She knew what he had the potential to be like, yet right now he was behaving in a way that was the furthest thing from it. If only she could have come into this story without any expectations…

A sharp twang pierced the air, breaking Emryn’s concentration. She looked up in time to see Marluxia and Larxene disappearing― having missed the entirety of their conversation ―and leaving Axel behind to babysit. Though if things were still going according to canon, then it wouldn’t remain that way for long.

Axel folded his arms over his chest, trying to appear relaxed― an effort which fell flat as the tension rolled off his shoulders. Slowly, he turned away from the crystal ball and walked towards them.

“So. What now?” he asked the silence. The question was so deceptively open, as if he were looking for suggestions on ways to kill time rather than what his next move should be. He waited a beat before speaking again. “Come on, I know someone’s got an idea about what happens next.”

She glared at him and he returned the gesture with an innocent look.

“Oh, not you. I already know you know everything―,” this elicited a growl from her, which he ignored, “but quite frankly, I don’t really want  _ your _ opinion. Things will get too dull if you constantly tell people what’s supposed to happen next.”

Bright green eyes narrowed in on something to her left, a smirk breaking out across his face. “No, I was asking  _ her _ what she intended to do next.”

Emryn turned to look at Naminé. The girl leveled her gaze with Axel, her shoulders hunching warily.

“You’ve gotten a lot braver, for a little mouse,” he waved a hand off the side, his smile widening a little more. “I know you’ve got something up that borrowed sleeve of yours. I’m just wondering what it is, exactly, that you intend to do with it.”

Naminé’s breath caught in her throat. Axel barked, turning around. “Relax kid. I don’t have any interest in getting in your way.” He paused. “And if you haven’t noticed already, your biggest obstacle doesn’t appear to be around right now.”

‘ _ Well this is different, _ ’ Emryn thought, her brow furrowing.

It took only a couple seconds for the girl to catch Axel’s drift before she was bolting upright like a rocket. She started running for the door, before skidding to a halt and looking over her shoulder. 

“Emryn, come on!”

“Oh, right. Just a sec―  _ Ow. _ ” She clutched her sides as a knife-like pain lanced through her. Being immobile for so long had made her forget she’d had the crap kicked out of her, and Em had gotten so used to using short breaths to breathe that she hadn’t noticed anything different― now it was reminding her with a vengeance. Holding her breath, Emryn struggled to her feet as quickly as she could, exhaling in short bursts once she was upright. She continued to hold her sides while moving at a light jog.

Seeing that she was okay, Naminé took off at an anxious pace, throwing open one of the large doors to the room and slipping through it. Emryn quirked a brow. While Naminé’s urgency was understandable, it was so prevalent that Emryn couldn’t help but wonder if any of what Axel had been implying was actually true. Did Naminé really have a trick up her sleeve that she wasn’t aware of?

She paused at the door, trying to not breathe too heavily. Every movement sent fire pulsing through her abdomen, and every breath was constricted; it felt like her body was shrinking in on itself. 

“I told you you’d feel better if you just drank the potion, didn’t I? But you didn’t want it. Now you’re going to be late for your date with Destiny, Miss Trouble.”

Emryn opened her mouth, whipping her head around too fast and instantly regretting it. She closed her good eye while her muscles screamed at her for her impetuousness.

“I’m still mad at you, just so you know,” she managed to bite out.

“And that’s supposed to make me care how?”

“I’m still mad _ , _ ” Emryn ignored him, gritting her teeth, “but moments like this― You still need to be thanked. So, yeah. Thanks, I guess.”

He erupted in caustic laughter, startling her. “Man, you choose some of the weirdest things to get fixated on.” When she didn’t respond, he continued. “But you’re seriously wasting your time. It’s not like I’m doing this out of the goodness of my  _ heart _ or anything.”

“Right. Self-motivated and all that. Figures.”

“Just hurry up and get outta here, before I change my mind. And take that stupid potion while you’re at it. If you run into Larxene, the chances are: You die.”

“Your lack of faith in me is touching,” she deadpanned, then sighed. “Seriously though. Thanks, Axel.”

“Just make it count.” His voice quieted as she disappeared. 

Emryn hobbled down the hallway as fast as she could, Naminé nowhere to be seen. She stuck close to the wall, leaning against it’s cool surface every now and then when her surroundings began to move too fast and blur together. Though she knew she needed to hurry, running was absolutely out of the question, and even the brisk walk she was trying to maintain was pushing it. Descending the stairs was hell. Moving was hell. The blinding color scheme of this fucking castle was  _ hell _ .

‘ _ What the hell, I’m in hell,’ _ she thought hazily. ‘ _ Maybe I should stop being stubborn and suck it up. Drink the stupid potion. Least nausea is more manageable than this.’ _

She stopped moving and began to fumble with her bag. The bottle slipped from her grasp a few times before she managed to grab it and get it open. After a moment of ( _ failed attempts at _ ) mentally preparing herself, Emryn squeezed her eyes shut and took a large gulp of the bitter concoction. 

Immediately, she spat half of it out, gagging. With much effort, she managed to choke the rest of it down, gasping at it burned all the way. Emryn sank to the floor as the vile green liquid hit her stomach. Both hands clapped over her mouth as bile surged upwards. At the same time her abdomen was encased in invisible binder of fire. 

_ Oh god, how wrong she had been. This was so much worse. _

Her vision hazed, black spots crowding her out as she lost feeling in all her extremities. Once again, Emryn felt as if she had been running forward, only to realize she had been held back in place the entire time and was now hurtling back to the beginning. Her heartbeat slowed to a painful crawl, dragging her mind with it as it sent her careening into a space between waking reality and dreaming.

_ A dusty dirt road flashed in front of her eyes. _

She struggled to force her eyes to remain open.

_ She stood before the copse of giant trees. The road led into them, winding towards an imposing darkness. _

Stark white walls wavered in her peripheral, her chin drooping down to her chest.

_ “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. Unknown to most, but known well to me. Truly, a kindred soul indeed.” _

_ Emryn turned upon hearing the familiar whisper. Her dreamself stood a couple feet away, hands clasped behind her back, shimmering slightly. Grey eyes trained on the path ahead. Suddenly, the air around her grew heavy, and for a moment, Emryn wasn’t certain who she was looking at anymore. _

_ “Who are you?” she found herself asking. _

_ A coy smile stretched across Dreamself’s face. “I am you, of course. But you are not me.” _

_ She frowned. “Another riddle, huh? You sure love those, don’t you?” _

_ “And you’re saying you don’t?” _

_ “Only when someone irritating is handing them out.” _

_ Dreamself chuckled. “You want the answer? Then I suppose you’ll just have to keep walking to find it.” _

_ With that, Emryn watched herself walk past her, taking the first step into the dark woods. She hesitated at the edge, watching as the other her’s back faded the further away from the light she got. Clearly, she would not wait to see if Emryn would follow; perhaps because she already knew that Emryn would. _

_ The young woman sighed, taking one last look at the bright, summery hills behind her, before plunging into the woods. _

* * *

 

“Emryn!  _ Emryn!”  _

Emryn jolted out of her stupor, wincing as a stinging sensation lanced through her abdomen. Looked like the potion hadn’t done much of anything, though breathing was definitely easier now, and she could now see a little more out of her other eye. She absently rubbed her left side, blinking blearily as she looked for the person calling her name.

Aegean blue eyes came into focus, framed by pale blonde hair. She blinked quicker, her brows furrowing.

“Naminé? What are you doing here? Why aren’t you waiting for Sora outside of the Destiny Islands room?”

“You didn’t follow after her, so we came back to get you.” A super serious voice answered her question, and Emryn’s eyes widened as she looked around Naminé to see a silver haired boy decked out in the weird, inverted Vanitas-esque suit of darkness standing guard behind her. She felt her jaw go slack as she stared at the Repliku.

Emryn hesitantly raised a finger. “What…?”

“It was your idea, actually,” Naminé quickly interjected. It didn’t do anything to alleviate her confusion, so the girl kept explaining. “We talked when I went into his heart. Riku didn’t want to be remade, but I had to do something, otherwise we’d all be in trouble. That’s when I remembered you saying something about giving him lines.”

“So we made a deal: We act, Ihelp her keep Sora safe, and she leaves my heart alone. Well, mostly.” Repliku shrugged, absently reaching up to rub a spot on his chest.

“I had to put a few false memories in him, so it matched what I put in Sora’s heart and would make the act more believable.” Naminé tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, standing up. She frowned a little. “He got caught though. That’s how Axel figured out I was up to something.”

“How was I supposed to know he would think my hiding spot would be a good look out?” Repliku grumbled darkly. 

“Because you were also using it to spy on Sora.”

Emryn gaped, glancing between the two teens as they lightly bickered. To say that this left her thunderstruck was the understatement of the century. Not only did this just completely constrew with the better part of what she already knew, but it genuinely bamboozled her. Even if she were to actually possess powers of foresight, she was certain that she still wouldn’t have seen this coming. While the dramatics from the Repliku were something she could believe, being that he originated from one of the kings of dramatics himself, the fact that  _ Naminé  _ had been the one to pull the rug out from under her…

And suddenly everything clicked into place. The change she had sensed in Naminé― it was because of  _ this _ . Underneath everyone’s noses, she had snuck in and weaved her own little plot into the web. Looking at her now, Emryn saw a glimmer of bravery looking back at her.

A smile broke across her face. 

“Way to go you two. That was so good, even I didn’t see it coming.” Repliku merely snorted, and a small grin lit up Naminé’s face. 

Em shifted to her knees and then gradually managed to stand up. Her ribs protested angrily, still not completely healed, but she was able to ignore it for the time being. As long as she didn’t get too wild, then she’d be fine. Seeing that she was up, the two kids began to move towards the next stairwell. Now that they’d taken care of this then the urgency of the next business took priority. Em wrapped an arm around her midsection and tried to keep up with them.

“If we run into Marluxia or Larxene then just leave them to me,” Repliku instructed as he took the lead. “Neither of you have a weapon, or any fighting experience.” He shot her a pointed look at that, and she huffed. “So just make sure to avoid the line of fire, and you should be fine.”

“You got knocked out by Larxene though.” Naminé stated. “How do you expect to beat her if she’s got more power than you.”

Emryn chuckled. “That, my dear, is what is known as the Shonen Hero Trope. The more a good guy gets knocked down, the stronger and more determined they are when they get back up again.”

“That…,” Naminé frowned. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

She nearly ruined her ribs again from trying not to cackle too hard.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll figure it out.” Repliku took to the stairs two at a time.

“Maybe you should team up with Sora. You know he won’t be adverse to it,” Em suggested, only to receive no response. 

They reached the foyer, and Naminé hurried over to the giant, pristine doors that stood at the other end. Emryn and Riku hung back by the stairs and kept an eye out for any signs of the Organization. Knowing that they were nearing the beginning of a string of a string of critical plot points didn’t particularly help Emryn, especially now that everything she knew of had been skewed. With Repliku on their side and in possession of both his own mind and his heart, anything could happen. 

After what felt like an unreasonably long amount of time ( _ but in actuality was probably only a few minutes _ ), she heard the doors creak open. Emryn cocked her head as a scrawny kid in a red jumpsuit shuffled out from behind it. Sora looked around, appearing incredibly… lost. Not lost as in directionally challenged, but lost in himself― and consequently, in the lies tangled amongst the truth in his heart. When his eyes found Naminé then the look only increased in confusion.

“It isn’t you, is it?” he asked. “The person most important to me― it’s not you.”

The girl recoiled at the bluntness of his clarifications, slipping deeper into Emryn’s coat. Sadly, she shook her head.

“No. I’m not.”

Sora’s face fell even more. “Then who―”

Out of the corner of her eye, Em caught Repliku tensing. The boy sighed and looked off to the side with a scowl. “Glad to see I’m still unimportant enough to get ignored again.”

She frowned and reached out to smack his shoulder.  _ Geez _ , this kid really needed to work on his jealousy and attention issues! Or really, he needed to work through the  _ real _ Riku’s issues and come up with healthier way to vent his feelings. This destructive behavior was one of the main reasons there was even a problem in pretty much all of the games.

While the Repliku gave her an offended look, Sora had become more alert, finally realizing that there were more people in this party than he had initially perceived. His expression morphed between recognition and unfamiliarity as he bounced from Riku to Emryn, back to Riku, and then back to Emryn again. 

“Riku! And uh―,” he squinted at her, the math forming around his head as he tried to determine if he really didn’t know her, or if he did, but had just forgotten. “Um, sorry. I don’t  _ think _ I know you, but…”

Em raised her hand and gave as casual of a wave as she could manage. “Name’s Emryn, and no, you don’t know me.” Now was probably a good time to cut to the chase. “And while there’s  _ a lot _ of crazy stuff that we’d love to explain to you, we kinda need to vamoose on out of here. Like,  _ now _ .”

Before Sora could get a chance to voice an objection, she turned to Naminé and gestured imploringly. “Do you know somewhere we can go and privately confuse him? ‘Cause I  _ really  _ don’t want to be interrupted by Larxene when this conversation happens.”

“Oh, well that’s just too bad.”

Everyone’s attention honed in on the voice that echoed from the stairwell. Larxene leaned against the wall, absently twirling a knife in her hand. She looked up with a narrow eyed, stone cold gaze.

“Hmm? Oh, I’m sorry. Did I interrupt something?” When no one answered, she continued, slowly emphasizing each step as she began to move down the stairs. “You know, I’m really starting to get irritated with all this meddling going on in the background. First a dumb seer, then a stupid little witch and her doll, and now Axel’s gone off key too. Don’t you know how  _ difficult  _ it was to set all of this up?”

Sora and Repliku leapt into defensive positions in front of the girls. The silver haired boy pointed Soul Eater at the nymph, growling, “ _ Not another step. _ ”

Larxene stopped, a smirk slowly spreading across her face. “Well, if you insist.” 

She flung the knife she had been holding straight for the center of the group, and like startled animals, they scattered. Emryn left the fighting to the boys, jumping towards Naminé and dragging her towards a wall. The goal was to skirt the edges and get to the stairwell. She didn’t know much about the battles, or really any of the attacks that Larxene used, but she did know that a fight was a traveling effort. And to avoid becoming a part of it, they would have to move with it. But one could only run so far before the storm overtook them.

Just as they reached the stairs, Larxene had absorbed another set of cards, unleashing the attack on the boys with a vengeance. In the blink of an eye she vanished, reappearing just as suddenly behind Repliku to slash his back. The next moment, she was vaulting from midair, cross cutting him from the shoulder down. Repliku collapsed from the shock, and then she was upon Sora. Her movements quickened to disorient the boy. As Sora fell lower and lower, Emryn was overrun by a terrible sense of doom.

What if Sora  _ didn’t  _ win this fight? He and Repliku had taken extensive amounts of damage at this point― neither could hold out for much longer. Sora had also just jumped from one battle to the next, including the one that had been emotionally taxing, and had yet to properly recover. Donald and Goofy were also nowhere to be seen lending support, either, and Emryn had no clue how far behind they were, or if they would even make it in time. What would happen the moment the hero fell? Who would save the story then?

Grey eyes tracked the Savage Nymph’s movements with difficulty, trying to pinpoint the next launch point. The woman’s attack was probably at its limit, and she would have to stop at any moment now, but the final blow was always the hardest. If she struck Sora with that―

Emryn lurched forward as she zeroed in on a specific spot. A dark ball appeared just behind Sora― or in this instance, it was in front of Emryn ―just as Larxene had disappeared into another one off to the side. Ignoring the pain that made her want to curl up and cry, ignoring the startled yelp Naminé had made as she left her, Emryn took off. And she  _ ran _ , the soles of her shoes barely ghosting the floor― as if her feet had grown wings. She swung around to plant herself before the injured boy, looking up just in time to meet Larxene face to face.

Time acted like molasses; a mere second was barely even a centimeter forward, yet movement all the same. It choked the air out of her, clogged every pore and drained the life away. As she stared into the poisonous green eyes of a truly heartless woman, Emryn felt like she had finally reached the end of her rope. Slowly, her gaze drifted away from Larxene, trailing towards something further below.

A labored gasp choked its way out of her, a faint, bitter taste of copper lingering in the back of her throat. A crimson flower bloomed around a piece of stained steel protruding from her left pectoral, just shy of where her heart was. She faintly registered Larxene speaking― something degrading, something about not needing her anymore ―before the knife was violently twisted to the right and yanked out. Emryn gasped, the sound wet and sickening.

She clutched the stab wound as hot liquid seeped out more freely. She tried to stem it, hands shaking, but the blood poured out just as quickly as it filled up within. Time continued to slow down, submerging her in its deadly little trap, until it went over her head and forced her to hold her breath. Emryn’s legs caved as a thick liquid bubbled past her lips.

Someone caught her. She looked up, expecting to see a face, only to find a blurry shadow looking back at her. Fire, a molten heat so fervid, set her chest aflame in fear. Was the shadow Larxene? Was that wretched woman’s face going to be the last one Emryn saw? A final taunt, a spit in the face for being so utterly and completely  _ useless _ ? Emryn struggled to open her mouth― to curse, to cry, to  _ breathe _ ―but all that came out of it was more blood. She could hardly feel anything anymore.

Once, Emryn had researched the amount of survival time a person possessed when their lungs had been ruptured. Because the inside of the lungs was considered to be like a vacuum, a mass of negative space, they needed pressure from both the inside and the outside to function. If there was a hole in that pocket, the lungs would collapse. Without immediate treatment of some kind, a person could die within three to six minutes or receiving the injury.

Her time was almost up, and knowing that only frightened her even more. Dying in a stranger’s arms. Dying without having learned why she was even here, in  _ this  _ universe, in  _ this _ story. Dying without ever seeing her family and friends again― These thoughts flooded her with tears.

“ _ Em..ryn... Don’t… dare... your eyes… on…” _

‘ _ Oliver?’ _ she thought, slipping deeper into the dark folds of something quieter. The voice calling to her― it sounded like her baby brother. ‘ _ Olly, where are you? When… was the last time I… told you how much I… loved you?’ _

“ _ Heal!” _

For a brief moment she felt warm. Just warm. Then that feeling vanished, and a chill slipped through her, stealing the rest of her consciousness. 

But Emryn did not go into oblivion.

Suddenly, time was rushing towards her, the same way she would rush to meet the ground when she fell. And when she and time collided, there was only  _ agony. _ A frenetic force of energy roiled throughout her body, tearing  _ everything _ in its path to shreds and hastily sewing it back together. It was complete and utter hell, and for a moment, Emryn actually  _ preferred _ getting stabbed over  _ this _ . This―  _ This _ was being  _ devoured _ .

And when that destructive force touched her heart, time had finally run out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> *Disclaimer: I adapted some of the actual dialogue from the game into this. Tried not to be exactly word for word, but the emphasis on canon was necessary for this chapter.


	9. Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which some things are awakened, and unfortunate choices are made.

‘ _ Am I dreaming? Or am I dead?’ _

_ The thought haltingly echoed into the dark. The abyss swallowed it whole, and for a moment, the hollow conscience faded out, as if it had never been formed.  _

_ Had it ever truly been alive? Had it all been a hallucination? Would it matter either way? It couldn’t fully recall, but it had seemed like it had been in pain moments before. Sharp and tight, twisting at its core, bursting at the seams as something ripped through it. There had been no solace, even at what felt like the end. It had been devoured whole, leaving nothing behind to show that it had once existed. _

_ If being alive was painful, then surely this mindless wandering was better. Becoming nothing was better. _

_ “You still have much to achieve as a Something before you should even think of being a Nothing.” _

_ The conscience stirred. Soft words floated through the darkness, drifting slowly towards it. _

_ ‘Huh? Is there… someone else?’ _

_ “You’ve fallen far away from the path, dear Traveler. It’s time you made your way back.” _

_ The words reached for It, circling the conscience. Something latched onto it, flooding the hollowness with a vibrant warmth, and suddenly, the conscience was aware of its form. It gently stretched its feet as far as they would go, until lightly touching down on a sturdy surface. There came a tug on its hand and it began to move forward through the dark, until, gradually, a dim light began to brighten the area. _

_ The rigid outline of a group of trees formed around it, growing more defined with every step; gnarled branches wound towards the path like outstretched fingers, the overgrown moss draping from them resembling ragged robes. A light fog furled around contorted roots and jagged stones, gliding smoothly forward until it reached the edges of the path and stayed there. The further it looked into the woods, the less it could could make out, and the less it could make out, the greater the darkness became. Somewhere deep within that darkness, terrifying muffled sounds hummed through the air. _

_ “Oh!” The conscience put a hand to its mouth, surprised at its own voice. The sound was sluggish, as if it had been used mere moments after waking, but strong in the ever present silence.  _

_ “This place is known as the Woods of Resentment.” It whipped its head around towards the source of the voice. A young woman had appeared before it, a warm hand holding onto it as she led it forward. “Here, things once loved by the Light are claimed by a bitter Darkness. Memories that were once precious, people that were once beloved, and feelings that had been poisoned― they come to fester and die here when tainted by negativity, breeding more unpleasantness as they go.” _

_ The conscience grimaced. “Then why are we in this awful place, instead of somewhere else?” _

_ The young woman turned mid-stride, piercing it with familiar slate-grey eyes. Looking into those eyes was like drowning in a storm made of reflections. Everything crashed into the conscience at once― memories, thoughts, emotions ―and suddenly, It was no longer an It. She was herself, and herself came with a name. _

_ Smirking lightly, the doppelganger turned away again and continued to move forward. She spoke a little more abrasively. “Why? To lose your mind, and find your soul, of course. Because despite how much you would rather ignore it, a part of you dwells in this place. Oh, and good to see you’re back again.” _

_ Grey eyes narrowed, and the traveler shook her head lightly to clear the dizziness. A frown pulled at her lips as she shot back, “You know, your religious use of riddles and cryptic attitude is really starting to get old.” _

_ “I am aware.” The Dreamself released Emryn’s hand. “But then again, doesn’t that just mean you need to start thinking harder?” _

_ “Ugh, you’re insufferable.” _

_ When Dreamself didn’t respond, Emryn sighed, casting her gaze around warily as she kept following after the other woman. After a while, the questions building up couldn’t be contained, and she opened her mouth (and if that hadn’t done it, the strain in the silence would have). _

_ “So…,” she started hesitantly. “I’m dead now, aren’t I?” _

_ “Mm, not dead-dead, just… mostly dead,” Dreamself hummed. “When you took the hit meant for Sora, your lung was not the only thing attacked. That woman knew what she was doing, tearing apart your pulmonary veins like she did.” _

_ Emryn rubbed the spot where she had been stabbed, her chest aching at the memory. Larxene had literally drove her point home; she wanted Emryn dead, and she wanted her to know it, too. _

_ “Of course, that wasn’t what counted as the final blow.” _

_ Her head jerked up. _

_ “Your body still hasn’t acclimated itself to magic very well. Though I suppose you’re not really the one to blame for that. The Cure that was cast on you in your final moments was just too much.”  _

_ While Dreamself continued to muse as she explained Emryn’s state of mortality (or lack thereof) the forest around them slowly began to wake up. Another muffled sound tore through the air, causing Em to jump. That… that sounded like someone yelling! She slowed, scanning the visible edges intently, but to no avail. Another noise rumbled far off, this time sounding like a crash. _

_ “If you dally you might miss some of the answers I hand out, whether done cryptically so or not,” Dreamself called, still not looking back. Emryn snapped out of it and jogged to keep up. “Anyway, as I was saying― Up until this point all you’ve had was tastes of potions and the Realm of Darkness, so when you were hit with a Cure, your body rejected it. The magic fought back, breaking you down in order to build you back up again with a tolerance for it.” _

_ Emryn tilted her head to the side. “So it was working kinda like a vaccine?” _

_ “In a sense, yes. But unlike normal vaccines, which utilize dead pathogens to build up an immunity, this was live magic building up a means for coexisting. In this instance, though, the strain was excessive for your heart as it is now. Currently, you are in the midst of a reset. Whether you survive it or not depends upon you.”  _

_ A reset? Could that be why Dreamself had said she was only mostly dead? But if she was only mostly dead, then there was still a chance that, somehow, during this ‘reset’, she could still end up completely dead. In essence, she was currently walking along a fairly fine line at the moment. _

_ Dreamself stopped then, the ground crunching beneath her shoes as she turned on her heel to face Emryn. The look she was given made Emryn shrink away, taking a step back. Her heart pattered in her chest as she guardedly stared back. Why was Dreamself looking at her like that? Why was she looking at her like she was  _ angry _? _

_ Another muted, hateful yell tore through the woods. _

_ “Why?” The single word was a phantom, slipping softly past parted lips to freely linger in the open. It sent chills traversing down her spine. From the corner of her eye, Emryn caught movement; mist was beginning to trickle onto the pathway. _

_ “Why must you always be so rash?” Dreamself demanded. “Do you not value yourself as much as you value those who are practically strangers to you? Tell me, because while your noble intentions are admirable, I do not understand them.” _

_ Emryn felt like a child getting scolded, which irritated her as much as it flooded her with guilt. Of course she cared about herself, but there had been circumstances that required her to care for others even more than that. If she hadn’t, if she had stopped to think about herself then Sora would have… Sora would have… _

_ Her hands curled in tightly at her sides. Conflict was a scary thing― it always had been. She’d told Axel just as much when confronting him. If she always thought about how scared it made her, then she’d never be able to face anything.  _

_ Emryn looked towards the edge of the road, watching the mist inch a little further. Somewhere, she thought she heard crying. It brought a pained frown to her face.  _

_ “If I consider myself first in a moment where I could have done something, then I’m afraid that I’ll only have chosen to run away. And I’ve already spent too much time living like… that.” _

_ For a time, Dreamself remained quiet. When Emryn looked up again, she found that the other her no longer seemed to be angry, merely deep in thought. It eased the rapid pulsing in her chest, but did not fully go away. When Dreamself finally met her gaze, she sighed. _

_ “I understand now,” she said softly, but continued with a more stern tone. “But you must also remember this: You can’t continue to sacrifice yourself like that. Your heart may be strong in its own rights, but it is still also very fragile. Push too hard, and there won’t even be any pieces left to put back together. I cannot always help you find the path, you know." _

_ With a slight shake of her head, Dreamself turned around and started walking again. Emryn followed along at a slower pace, contemplating the meaning of her words. Her heart was strong, but also fragile, huh? Was that because of the magic (or the lack thereof of it)? Or could the weakness possibly stem from something within herself?  _

_ The road was eerily dim the further into the forest they walked. Each step seemed to invite the mist to creep just a little closer. Emryn often found her attention straying towards the fine tendrils, the way they moved reminding her of feelers blindly searching for something. She didn’t like that it kept getting closer, or the fact that it came from the dark woods beyond the path, which was producing more and more unearthly sounds as time continued to pass. _

_ Uneasily, she turned away from the woods and hurried to catch up with her Dreamself.  _

_ “So uh, if I’m mostly dead, does that mean that I’m still technically dying?” she prodded. “Cause, like, what’s happening to my body is different than what’s going on right here and now, right?” _

_ “Oh, very good,” Dreamself chuckled. “In this place, time is construed. Much like when you dream, many moments can be compressed in here, while only a single moment has passed out there. The same can be said for how time works in Castle Oblivion, and by extension, all the worlds that are not connected to each other. But again, whether your body out there makes it or not is up to you.” _

_ A low ticking chirruped through the forest.  _

_ ‘This is just weird…,’ she grumbled, casting a wary glance around before focusing on the back of her― er, Dreamself’s head. ‘But I guess since it seems I’ve got the time, and she’s actually talking to me, I should see what else I can find out.’ _

_ “You said you were me, yet not,” she began. “Now that we seem to have a bit of one on one time to spare, mind elaborating on that for me?” _

_ “Mmm, where’s the fun in that though? What was it Axel said? ‘Things will get too dull if you constantly tell people what’s supposed to happen next’?” A cocky lilt tickled the other woman’s voice. Emryn tensed. “Why don’t you play twenty questions, and I’ll tell you if you’re close or not.” _

_ ‘Well I’ll tell you what  _ I’m _ close to: Punching you.’ The sentiment that she would fight herself was making itself prominent again. But Emryn reigned her temper in, the click of her tongue revealing the only hint that she had been irritated. She reflected, for a moment, on what Dreamself had already told her, and then asked her question. _

_ “Alright. Fine then, if this is how you’re gonna be. So you say you’re me, but I’m not really you; not that I’m particularly comfortable with this idea, but since it’s the first that comes to mind― Does this make you a reincarnated version of me or something?” _

_ Dreamself’s response was quick, clipped, and a little too smug. “No.” _

_ Emryn groaned. “Are you supposed to be me from an alternate reality, since I guess those are now a legit thing? And somehow we’re astral projecting into each other’s psychees?” _

_ “Nope. Not even when you dissect the peculiar schematics of this situation.” _

_ “Alright, then are you from the future? Wait, no, that can’t be. You look like I do now. Kinda like a reflection…”  _

_ Emryn frowned as she thought a little harder about it. She narrowly caught the way Dreamself’s fingers curled in at her sides, stretching out before slowly falling into place one by one― an action she recognized simply because it was what she did when she knew something and was excited for someone else to catch on. It was incredibly unsettling to see one of her own quirks displayed by someone else, let alone by someone that looked like her and claimed to be her. But something like that… It had to mean she was onto something, didn’t it? What was it she had said that piqued Dreamself’s excitement?  _

_ An idea dawned on her, and it caused her eyes to widen. What if… “You wouldn’t happen to be my Nobody, would you?” _

_ Considering the story she was in, and the fact that Dreamself was claiming to be her, yet she was not Dreamself, the theory made all too much sense. But in order for that to work, Emryn would have had to have died sometime before this recent run in with death, since she had been seeing Dreamself long before now. And if she had died, it would have been back when she was… still… on... _

_ When Dreamself started laughing, however, Emryn grew confused. Her frown deepened as she demanded, “What’s so funny?” _

_ “I― I forgot how amusing young Travelers were,” the doppelganger chortled, hopping over a puddle in the path. “You always try to logic your answers away. Creative logic, but logic nonetheless. Of course, the way your world has conditioned you to grow has played an unfortunate hand in that matter.” _

_ Emryn faltered. “What― What do you mean by that? Are you saying that there have been others? I mean, other people that have gotten sucked up and sent to these crazy, impossible places that shouldn’t even exist?” _

_ The doppelganger spun around with a lazy grin etched across her face. Emryn stopped just before stepping into the puddle. The water quivered with the tension of having almost been disturbed. With each ripple, Dreamself’s reflection seemed to shift; every time Emryn blinked, another shard of the reflection was another piece of someone else. Ghost like mist trickled closer, banding around their feet. _

_ “I’ve watched you for a long time,” Dreamself uttered softly as she evaded the question, “and I am excited to see where you shall wander on this journey, my dear, dear Traveler.” _

_ “I―,” Emryn struggled to form a coherent sentence, to even comprehend what Dreamself was saying. “I never asked for this! I never wanted―” _

_ The doppelganger gave her a knowing look. “Are you sure you haven’t just forgotten what you wanted?” _

_ The question rang ominously in her ears, tolling mighty tones as a bell would in calling for the time. _

_ Grey vapor glided over the puddle and obscured the reflection. It crawled over their feet until it blanketed them, climbing as high as their ankles. It tickled Emryn, partially distracting her from the sudden distress Dreamself’s question had invoked in her. She shook her foot a little to try and clear away some of the mist, but the action only seemed to make it solidify around her. As she opened her mouth to say something― whether to point out the odd behavior of the mist or demand Dreamself drop the coy act, she didn’t know ―the mist tightened around her ankles, as if they were being bound. Emryn only had a split second to even acknowledge the déjà vu of the situation, before her feet were pulled out from under her. _

_ She whipped violently through the air, branches catching on her clothes, scratching her face. Emryn screamed as she was tossed about, her body snapping wildly from side to side. When she finally swung to a stop, she was breathless, spinning, and dangling dangerously by her feet high above the ground.  _

_ Her chest heaved as her revolution slowed to a crawl, bringing her face to face with a cold yellow glow, narrowed by the shape of a dark helmet. Emryn’s breath caught in her throat.  _

_ Before her was a nightmare she had long since thought vanquished. The last time she had seen the Black Knight, she had been about to lose her head. Sometimes, in the midst of a sleepless night, her thoughts would turn towards the Heartless and entertain the darker “what if’s”. Those what if’s never led to pleasant dreams, and she’d never sleep long because of them; because of  _ it. _ But the last time she had checked, the Black Knight was supposed to be the Red Queen’s Heartless. What it was doing here, attacking her in a dream realm that was surely separate from the normal, Emryn didn’t have a single clue.  _

_ The Black Knight raised its glaive. Emryn screamed as she forced her body to perform a sit up upside down, just barely avoiding getting hit by the blade as it swiped by.  _

_ “What the ― is this thing doing here?!” she yelled, avoiding another hit.  _

_ “This creature created a fear so deep running within you that it was able to imprint itself upon your heart and reside in these woods,” Dreamself called back, sounding both far and near in the same breath. “If you want to wake up, then you must defeat it!" _

_ “If I want to wake up I need to defeat i― Defeat it with  _ what _?!” Her voice steadily climbed higher, until it had reached a shriek. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly equipped to be dealing with this!” _

_ “I cannot clear the path for you every time. You must try to figure this out on your own.” _

_ “You are literally the least helpful person  _ ever _ for someone that’s claiming to be me!” _

_ Emryn desperately tried to pull herself up towards the bindings on her ankles. If she could just get untangled from this then maybe she might have a chance.  _

_ The thin ribbons, however, had a different idea in mind. As she tried to reach for them, the ones holding her in place began to swing her side to side, causing her to lose whatever form she had managed to get into and get violently shaken around like a dog’s chew toy. Even when it stopped, everything still moved wildly in her field of vision. Another ribbon lashed around her right wrist, and then her left. More continued to wrap around her, slowly cocooning everything except her head. No matter how much Emryn tried to resist, she was forced to become immobile. _

_ Now Dreamself started to sound exasperated as she said, “The tools are already in your possession. They’ll only continue to be useless if you do not give them meaning!” _

_ “Unless you’re actually going to  _ help _ then just shut up! I’m in the middle of trying to not lose my head here, if you haven’t noticed!” _

_ “Emryn,” the urgency was becoming more apparent in the doppelganger’s voice, “What do you desire, with all your heart? Desires cannot take shape without the power of words to define them!” _

_ “Really? You’re trying to get intimate  _ now _?” Emryn’s eyes were glued to the glaive as it began to move backwards. “How much more obvious can I get about how much I’d rather not die right now?!” _

_ As if triggered by her indignant cry, a searing warmth ripped through her. Light flashed between the dark bindings just as something else shot forward, rendering them apart. It hit the Black Knight dead center in its helmet with a clang. The unexpected attack stunned it, and the remaining ribbons began to loosen. Emryn gaped at what appeared to be a large chain protruding from her  _ chest _ as it spanned between her and the Heartless.  _

_ “Um, quick question: What the ―?” _

_ “Ponder on it later! Quick, summon another one now.” _

_ A string of incomprehensible sounds escaped her as she looked between the chain and the Black Knight, which was now starting to snap out of it. Emryn wriggled frantically, casting off the shreds of ribbons that still remained on her, and worked to loose her feet. Metal creaked and groaned as it scraped against more metal. The young woman looked away from her work only to find, much to her dismay, that the other ribbons controlled by the Heartless were steadily pulling the chain out of its head. Every little tug on the chain sent shivers quivering throughout her chest. It was unpleasant as well as horrifying. _

_ In response to the foreign aggravation, a new chain sprung forth, catching both human and monster off guard as it barreled straight through the Black Knight’s pauldron. The ribbons abandoned the chain imbedded in the creature’s head and immediately converged on the new threat. The more the Heartless attempted to dislodge a chain another was produced in its stead, and another, and another― until the number of chains outnumbered the number of ribbons, and even the Heartless itself.  _

_ As the Black Knight disappeared beneath a swarm of chains, Emryn finally managed to free herself from the Heartless’ grasp. She fell to the ground, barely managing to twist herself in time so she landed on her lower back instead of her head. It knocked the air out of her hard enough that she almost blacked out then and there, but she just barely managed to cling to consciousness long enough to watch as the chains which emanated from her consumed the Heartless. _

_ ‘Like being bound into Oblivion,’ she thought listlessly. The thought seemed to travel into the chains, and they squeezed tightly around the Black Knight, until, suddenly, it became no more.  _

_ As they fell to the ground, the chains shimmered, and one by one they vanished. Emryn remained on her back, mind spinning endlessly upon itself, her vision wavering. Dreamself appeared above her, and even though her mouth moved, not a sound could be heard. Yet somehow, the other her could be understood all the same. _

_ “Wake now, dear Traveler, and cast the riddles from your mind and to your soul, for surely it will show you that it knows the way. I know not where you will go from here, but I promise you, it won’t be boring.” _

_ Emryn closed her eyes and ascended from the dark. _

* * *

 

“Gawrsh, you don’t think she’s―?”

“No, look! She’s still breathing!”

“Emryn, can you hear us? Wake up!”

Her eyes fluttered briefly before snapping shut again. The real light was too bright and blinding after spending time in a dream that was so poorly lit. A low moan formed in the back of her throat and gained volume as it traveled past her lips. Her body was heavy, aching at every joint and nerve possible. Emryn hadn’t dealt with a soreness of this caliber since the last time she’d taken an aerobics class ( _ which, quite frankly, hadn’t been for a couple years, but still _ ). Yet the fact that she had been magically torn apart and sewn together right before  _ dying _ just kinda, sorta, maybe just a  _ little bit _ made the pain of aerobics class pale in comparison. This was going to hurt for awhile.

A collective gasp circled around her. 

“Emryn, you’re alright!” Sora’s voice was easily placed, being on her right and perhaps a little bit too close for comfort. He sure was  _ loud _ .

“ _ Barely _ ,” she wheezed. Carefully, she tried opening her eyes once again.

The first person to fall into focus was Sora, and just as she suspected, he was leaning in towards her too closely. Wide blue eyes stared back at her, brimming with barely contained relief. The boy sniffed and quickly rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand. Shakily, he smiled down at her.

Over his shoulder, Donald and Goofy hovered nearby, both grinning in delight. Emryn blinked a couple times, her eyes widening a little bit more each time. Sure, she had known that wherever Sora was then these two weren’t ( _ always _ ) far behind, but it still hadn’t prepared her for the possibility of actually seeing two of the most popular Disney characters in person. This was probably more surreal than the moment when she had first realized she was talking to Axel!

“How’re ya feelin’? Goofy asked kindly. “Everyone was worried about ya for a moment there, ya know.”

Emryn’s stare slid away from him as she answered hoarsely, “Well, this has been a first for me, but I’ve definitely seen better days.”

She locked eyes with the Repliku, and though he was stoic as ever, the simple nod he gave was enough to convey his relief at her non-corpse-like state. 

“I wasn’t sure what else we could do. When I cast that Cure, I thought I had…,” Sora went quiet, and her gaze snapped back to the other boy. Sora bowed his head and frowned at his lap.

‘ _ He was the one that cast the Cure on me?’ _

Suddenly, it hit her: She had jumped in front of Sora and taken the blow meant for him. He had  _ seen _ that. He was probably the one that had caught her, and then watched as she bled her life out. Perhaps as soon as Donald had arrived and revived him, maybe even before that, he had desperately tried to cast a Cure on her in hopes that he wasn’t too late. Emryn hadn’t been aware of anything other than dying, even when the magic had begun to rip her apart.

How had she looked to him then? What sounds had she made before she attempted to become a ‘Nothing’? What had she  _ done? _

It was with this horrified realization that Emryn came to understand that she had more than likely just severely traumatized a fifteen year old boy, who just so happened to be the hero of one of  _ the most _ top ranking games  _ ever _ , and would have left him with the idea that  _ he  _ had been the one that killed her had she actually died.

She averted her eyes, mumbling, “Sorry kid. There wasn’t much room to say anything before, but magic and I don’t mix well. But if you hadn’t of done that then we wouldn’t be having this conversation now, so…”

It was uncomfortably quiet as her words sank in. Emryn tried to shrug, feeling antsy with the consequences of her actions now that she was conscious enough to witness them, but her muscles were still too sluggish to respond. With nothing else willing to move, she allowed her gaze to wander again, and this time it landed on a different, but no less scarred, face.

Naminé stared at her with a contorted expression― a mixture of thoughts and feelings that made about as little sense to Emryn as they did to the girl they were affecting. Naminé’s knuckles turned bone white as she gripped both the sleeves of the red jacket and the hem of her dress. She almost looked like she was in pain.

Her pale lips trembled as she spoke. “You… Why are you endangering yourself for  _ us? _ First me and Riku, and now Sora― You don’t even know us! And yet… And yet you still stand in front of us when there’s trouble, even though you’re so powerless. I― I don’t understand it!”

Emryn took a slow and deep breath. The things Naminé said sounded an awful lot like what Dreamself had gotten onto her for. It was the same question, but the answer required a different kind of explanation.

“It’s true that we’re basically strangers, but that doesn’t stop me from caring about you,” she started slowly. “You guys are just kids, and it seems like everyone is just constantly sweeping that fact under the rug. The fact that you guys are forced into roles meant for  _ adults _ scares me, because it’s not something you should have to deal with, yet you do anyways. And when I’m scared, I don’t always think, I just  _ do. _

“If I think about being scared, then I can’t protect. And if I fail to do that when it was possible for me to do so, then what good am I?”

Speaking about this reminded her of all the times she had run away from a fight and hidden with her little brother. Rigid fear would overwhelm her as she would listen to her father screaming over her mother while they fought. She could only hold Oliver close while covering his ears. Emryn often wished that she had yelled back at her father, or called the cops on him, but that terror would always keep her rooted in place. She didn’t want her actions to cause him to turn on her, or worse, Oliver, but the guilt always matched the fear when she left her mother to fend for herself.

It was in her nature to protect, but what good was that nature if she was constantly afraid of the conflict doubling back on her? After graduating high school, Emryn had decided she couldn’t stand to live with that fear any longer. So she made an effort to stand her ground in critical moments. As long as she didn’t think about it, she could fool herself into ignoring the erratic beat of her heart.. 

“You’ve been constantly putting yourself at risk for us, and at what cost? The light in your heart had gone  _ out.  _ For a brief moment, I sensed you vanish! If protecting us means you’re just going to die, then…” Naminé shook her head.

‘ _ Things haven’t really been going any better since I got here, have they?’ _ Emryn internally sighed to herself and looked away. She had no idea how to refute any of what Naminé was saying, not with all this bad evidence piling up against her. Granted, this wasn’t too unexpected, either. Emryn knew full well she wasn’t meant to fill the shoes of a hero, yet for some stupid reason, she kept trying to all the same. What good was her presence here in a story that was already made up?

“The way I see it, if she hadn’t stood up to those Organization members when and how she did, things would have ended up a lot worse.” Repliku suddenly said. Emryn trained her eyes on him, only to find him staring at her with a peculiar, contemplative expression. A little more quietly he continued, “And you knew that, didn’t you? That’s why everyone kept referring to you as the Oracle― because you know these things about the future that they don’t.”

“Wait, wait,” Sora intervened, confused. “What does that mean, ‘you know about the future’? Are you a psychic or something, Emryn?”

This was definitely not how she would have liked to establish her presence in this story ( _ if at all _ ), but it was her own fault for running her damn mouth the way she had. Things were problematic enough with the antagonists of this game knowing she was privy to the info about the future, but now the protagonists knew too? That was less than ideal. She’d read enough stories― fanfics and regular fiction alike ―to know that anyone with knowledge of the future sharing that info with characters from another world only created the unfortunate problem known as an imbalance of power. An imbalance of power corrupted a good concept, making what could have been an excellent story a bomb of a failure. Emryn  _ refused _ to be the reason Kingdom Hearts broke down.

“Let’s just go with ‘or something’ and leave it at that.” She cleared her throat in discomfort before moving on. “To be honest, I don’t know if my intervening has exactly been what you’d call an improvement. I’m not all knowing like those jerks keep trying to insist I am. Never have been, never will be. And to be quite frank with you, I’m not very keen on the idea of giving information to either side of the friend or foe equation.”

At that, Donald leapt forward with an indignant ‘ _ wak!’ _ , shoving Sora aside. “What’s  _ that _ supposed to mean?” he demanded.

Emryn winced, the volume of his voice sending a lance of pain through her head. She looked at him through slightly narrowed eyes and sighed, beginning her explanation.

“Look, if I were to just hand you all of the information of your story― which is  _ a lot _ and most of it’s confusing, by the way ―then we’d have a gott dang catastrophe on our hands. There’s a ton of technical stuff that ties in with that catastrophe, but the main point is that doing so would create a major disruption in the balance of things. Tell me, can you honestly say that you enjoy a story where the heroes know everything and saves the day right off the bat?”

She waited a beat, staring at everyone as they actually thought about her question. When they finally reached their conclusions, shaking their heads, Emryn continued.

“It’d become a boring story, right?” she asked. “You have to overcome challenges and learn things when they’re meant to be revealed to you. Me interfering by telling you what I know has more bad implications hiding behind it than good. Besides, ‘ _ Oracles _ ’ in stories are only messengers for a need to know basis, and they never reveal everything anyways.”

That really seemed to sell it for most of them. Donald, however, still looked unconvinced, but Emryn wasn’t going to bother trying to persuade him anymore. She closed her eyes, suddenly feeling more drained than she had upon first waking up. All this talk about death and oracle business was exhausting― and she’d only been awake for, what, fifteen minutes? And there was still the rest of the CoM arc to get through…

In the back of her mind she faintly registered Naminé talking, answering a question that Goofy and then Jiminy ( _ why did she always forget that he was here too?)  _ had asked. Emryn had an inkling of a suspicion about where this conversation was going. Something about everyone’s memories, and how Naminé would be able to restore them. But now that she wasn’t in immediate danger of dying, and no one was badgering her about her supposed psychic powers, all she wanted to do was sleep. Dreamself still had a lot of things to answer for.

“There’s a room on the thirteenth floor where I can fix your memories, but…” Naminé sighed.

“That’s where Marluxia is,” Repliku surmised. 

Emryn’s eyes snapped open. To her right, Sora was already standing up and preparing to go. “Then you, me, Donald ‘n Goofy’ll go take care of him right now. Naminé, you should wait here with Emryn. We’ll come back to get you when we’re done.”

Emryn grunted a little as she tried to force her muscles to cooperate. She really didn’t want to give away too much information, but she also  _ really _ didn’t want to deal with the bullshit Marluxia was going to bring with him once the boys left. 

She finally managed to coerce one of her arms, albeit slowly, into propping herself up. “I suggest that we all go as far as we can together.”

“Can you even stand up? Let alone walk?” Repliku asked skeptically, eyeing the sluggish way she attempted to sit up. 

“I’ll need help, obviously.” Her head was starting to spin from the effort she was exerting just trying to move upright. “But I’d rather we moved together as a group as opposed to branching off, so I’ll do my best to not slow everyone down.”

Everyone exchanged doubtful glances between themselves, but thankfully, no one demanded she elaborate her reason for this suggestion. She ignored the looks they gave her, body trembling fiercely as she finally managed to sit up. Sharp and burning, the most concentrated pain lanced through her chest. Emryn began to rub the spot that hurt the most, only to immediately retract her hand, cringing at the cooled stickiness she’d felt. Upon looking down, she almost fainted.

The hole Larxene’s knife had left in her clothes was relatively small, but the stains left on them covered up a sizeable chunk of her front. The blood, still somewhat fresh, made the fabric cling to her skin, so that whenever she moved she could always feel it there. It was a revolting feeling; she had never much liked wearing wet clothes, but knowing that it was her own  _ blood _ that had soaked them was just downright nauseating.

Swallowing hard, Em looked away from what was officially the  _ worst _ wardrobe malfunction she’d ever had, and held up a hand for someone to take. 

‘ _ I’m in no condition to even consider protecting Naminé if they still decide to leave us behind. And even if they left Repliku as insurance, I highly doubt we’d be able to keep Marluxia from getting what he wanted.’ _

Finally, just before she was about to put her hand down and struggle to get up herself, Sora reached out and grabbed her. He was warm to the touch, and Emryn realized, with a shock, just how freezing she was. Her grip on his hand tightened just a little bit more.

Donald and Goofy took a place on either side of her to help Sora pull her up. In one mighty pull they managed to get her upright, but as soon as she was standing, the blood rushed straight to her head. Emryn blinked rapidly as her vision went black, and she stumbled a little when her knees turned to jelly and threatened to give out on her. Several hands latched onto her at once to keep her steady. 

“Are you sure you’ll be fine?” Sora asked. 

‘ _ No, _ ’ she wanted to reply.

“Let’s just get moving,” she responded instead. The longer they lingered here, the more anxious she got. 

Sora nodded uncertainly, before slinging her arm over his shoulders. Goofy took her other arm, and with that, they were ready to begin the tedious task of moving forward. Repliku stuck close to Naminé, and they led the procession forward, while Donald held the middle ground, leaving the new trio to pull up the rear. Moving her legs was a chore for Emryn. At best, she could only slowly drag her feet along, being pulled the rest of the way by her two pillars of support.

As they walked, Emryn noticed something strange on the floor.

“Uh, why’s the floor wet?”

“These three put on a water show for the nymph,” Repliku responded rather dryly. “Apparently, she couldn’t get wet.”

Em’s brows twitched. She didn’t really know how any of the fights themselves actually played out― the only thing she cared about was the cutscenes, as watching other people fight was a tedious and boring endeavor. Because of this, she didn’t know what kind of attack Sora and the others could have used to create ‘ _ a watershow _ ’, as Repliku had so eloquently put it. 

Perhaps it was something that had happened in the manga? She’d only really gotten around to reading Days, but just from that alone she knew there was a bit of a different take on things than there was in the game. So it seemed anything was possible.

“Huh, interesting.”

No one made any comments on her response, which she continued to be grateful for. They remained silent as they trudged onward. And then―

“Ah, my old enemy.” Emryn took a deep breath, glowering at the obstacle before them. “ _ Stairs. _ ”

“Aw come on, stairs aren’t  _ that _ bad,” Sora said jokingly. A little more seriously though, he added, “But if you don’t think you can make it up those―”

She cut him off before he could finish the thought. “If I could manage them when my ribs were cracked, then surely I can manage them when most of my body is on the fritz.”

Sora nodded grimly, but didn’t try to undermine her resolve. Together, she, Goofy and Sora worked to get up the first step. With the boys helping by lifting her up, the going was a little quicker, but she still had to move her feet, and that’s what sucked. Everything tightened as she forced her foot to raise higher than the lip of the step, and she could only raise her foot so high because of it. If it weren’t for the guys helping her out, then she would have only ended up making herself trip. 

By the time they reached the next landing, her back was drenched in sweat, and her breathing labored. Repliku, Naminé and Donald stood off to the side in wait for them. They all took one look at her and seemed to simultaneously reach a consensus.

“Sora, you guys just go on ahead. I’ll stay behind with Emryn,” Naminé declared. “We’ll wait in one these rooms until you come back.”

Emryn opened her mouth to protest, but was immediately shut down when Naminé threw her a sharp look. 

The boy frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Definitely.” The blonde nodded and turned away from them to open a door. “We’ll be fine if we wait in here, I’m sure. Besides, I don’t think Emryn is capable of handling another flight of stairs, let alone making it up to the thirteenth floor.”

‘ _ I mean, she’s not wrong, but ouch.’ _ Em gave a tiny wince at Naminé’s bluntness. 

Sora still looked unconvinced. He side-eyed Emryn thoughtfully. Something in that look said that he knew there had been a reason she had wanted to stay together as a group, yet he hesitated to ask what that reason was, knowing that she very well might not answer. Likewise, Emryn wanted to convey her knowledge on the matter, yet was afraid of how much she could mess everything up if she did. 

“It’s not like they’re going to be alone.” Repliku’s decisive words cut through the mounting tension. Everyone’s eyes fell on him. “I’ll stay behind while you guys take care of Marluxia. Then you’ll have one less thing to worry about.”

Sora blinked, and slowly a sloppy grin crept up his face. “Thanks Riku. I’m counting on you.”

His words seemed unexpected, Repliku’s eyes widening slightly at the deep display of trust. The corners of his mouth twitched and he shook his head. He didn’t say anything after that, instead moving to take Emryn off of their hands. 

As they moved into one of the empty rooms, Sora called, “We’ll be back before you know it, so hang tight you guys!”

When the door shut behind them, Emryn’s unease increased tenfold. Going into a room instead of hanging out in the open didn’t mean they were less likely to avoid Marluxia. She didn’t doubt for a second that the pink loofah wouldn’t  _ not _ try to collect Naminé, or herself for that matter. If he thought they could still be used then he wouldn’t want anyone else to get their hands on his ‘ _ tools’ _ . But what could two weaponless girls― one whose body was still half dead and completely useless ―and an inexperienced replica do against a legitimate assassin?

‘ _ Perhaps it would be easier if they just left me behind and hurried to catch up with Sora.’ _ As far as she was concerned, her presence had just been denoted to a bunch of dead weight. The best she could do would be to hold Marluxia’s attention, even if only for a couple of minutes, in order to allow the other two to get away. 

“You know,” Naminé spoke suddenly, dispelling the heavy silence that had come to settle over them. Emryn looked up, spying the girl staring aimlessly at the hands in her lap. “I’ve always been so… afraid. So narrow minded.

“Being here for as long as I have, I’ve never been able to think beyond much other than myself. How could I make it through another day without getting hurt? How could I go without acknowledging this gaping hole inside as it constantly tries to devour me? Things like that. And now, with everything that’s happened, I feel… I  _ feel _ …  _ Useless. _ ”

Em shared a concerned look with Repliku, but when the boy opened his mouth, she held up her hand and signaled for him to keep quiet. “Why do you think you feel that way?” she asked.

Naminé’s hands curled tightly. “All this time, I haven’t really been able to do much of anything. I’ve just created problems for everyone around me. Unlike you or Sora, I haven’t done anything… good.”

“You know,” she looked at the ceiling thoughtfully, “useless and good are two different and subjective terms. For a kid in your position, it’s natural that your first instinct is self preservation. You do what you think will be useful or good for you. 

“But because of it then others try to convince you that this is wrong. That it’s bad and that you’ll never be capable of being good.” Grey eyes slid towards the girl again. “I was the same for awhile. It felt like no matter what I did, the consequences would always round on me, twenty times worse than before. Everything I said, everything I did― it seemed like some kind of test, where one wrong answer would leave me more hurt and powerless than before. But I made a choice, even when it seemed like I had none at all, to keep trying to move forward and get myself to a better place. Just like it was your choice to stop being a  _ pawn _ and start being  _ someone. _ ”

The girl’s attention slowly shifted towards her, soft aegean eyes peering back uncertainly, doubtfully. “Was it really  _ my  _ choice?”

A small smile crooked up her face. “Must have been, because I certainly didn’t hear anyone telling you to stand up to Larxene, or come up with that plan which let Riku keep his agency.”

“But  _ you’re _ the one that came up with the idea though! I didn’t―”

“Emryn may have suggested an alternative, but it was you that took it a step further. It was  _ you _ who put that plan into action. Therefore, it was  _ your _ choice.” Repliku shuffled around awkwardly, but he didn’t let his gaze wander elsewhere, nor did he allow his conviction to falter. 

Em nodded. “Yeah, just like it’s your choice to help Sora by fixing his memories. You acknowledged that you did something wrong, and now you’re making up for it by fixing your mistake.”

The girl remained in thoughtful silence, slowly processing their words as she fiddled with the hem of her sleeves. Em slowly scooched herself closer and settled herself near the younger teen, lightly clapping her shoulder.

“You don’t always have get in the line of fire to do something right. You just have to know that if there’s an opportunity to act, you shouldn’t always allow your circumstances to keep you from trying.”

“ _ A pity that such a moment will never be realized. _ ”

In a flash, Repliku was in front of them, keyblade drawn and placed in preparation for a fight. Beyond him, a dark portal materialized, and from it stepped Marluxia. The man scrutinized them all carefully, a faint, haughty smirk rising across his features. 

The hairs on the back of her neck rose in accordance to the slight quickening pace of her heart.  Emryn looked down just in time to see inky tendrils pool from the ground, slithering around her like lightning. Everything vanished from view, the pearly white of Castle Oblivion turning dark as she was plunged into the murk without a chance to make a sound. 

Immediately, she recognized the warping walls of the Dark Corridor― or at least, some pocket of it. The half healed cut on her leg twinged in response to the negative energy surrounding her. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Emryn tried to ignore the sudden increase of pressure that dwelled in her surroundings. But as the seconds continued to to tick by, the more it felt like she was being compressed, and the less she could breathe. The less she could breathe, the more she was reminded of what it was like to die with a hole in her chest, and that made it all the more terrifying. 

Before she passed out, the pressure evaporated completely. Instead, Emryn found herself upright and being held at choking point. She glanced down, immediately meeting the black of the Organization cloak and inhaling an inhumane amount of floral perfume.

“Emryn!” she heard Naminé cry out at the same time Repliku yelled, “Let her go!”

Eyes fluttering, Emryn’s head shot up in time to see the two take a step towards her, as if they actually intended to straight up  _ charge _ Marluxia.

“No! Stay back, both of you,” she commanded. They stilled, confusion and alarm creating an uncertain cocktail on their faces. 

“Now now, if they  _ want _ to come to us, you should let them.” Emryn jumped slightly at the close proximity of Marluxia’s silky voice. “After all, it’s  _ their _ decision to make.”

The way he kept emphasizing some of his words sent a dreadful chill down her spine. She stared at the two younger teens pleadingly. “Guys,  _ get out of here! _ Forget about me and just  _ run _ !”

“Don’t be stupid!” Repliku gnashed his teeth together angrily. “After all you’ve done for us, you think we’d just leave you behind? Get real!”

Marluxia tutted, as if he were agreeing with the boy. Em growled at all of them, gripping the man’s arm with the pitable intent of trying to break his hold on her. “Don’t you get it? I’m just the  _ bait _ . The one he wants is Naminé!”

“My dear Oracle, you seem to have a bad habit of spoiling the wrong things.” She glared up at Marluxia as he tutted again. Ignoring her, the pink haired man merely sighed before holding out his free hand to the side, and in a flash his weapon appeared. His grip was adjusted so it was around her shoulders instead. Emryn swallowed hard as she felt the cold metal of his scythe press against her throat.

“Well then, Naminé. Will you come to me on your own, or will you force my hand? The choice is yours, after all.”

The girl’s eyes widened fearfully, one hand automatically reaching up to clutch her chest. Hesitantly, she began to take a step forward, earning her an incredulous look from Repliku. Emryn began trembling, but not from fear. Heat seared the back of her neck and set ablaze the thoughts in her mind as she realized what it was Marluxia was trying to do. Why he seemed so focused on letting everyone know what their choices were. 

“Riku!” she yelled, jolting the boy out of his conflicted trance. “Take her and run! He won’t kill me, okay? It’s a trick! Just get out of here!”

The cold steel pressed a little harder into her throat, causing her to still as she felt it prick. “I wouldn’t be so certain of that, Miss Oracle,” Marluxia uttered lowly. “You are becoming far more trouble than you’re worth, it seems. Knowing the future would indeed be handy, but I’m starting to think that I don’t really  _ need _ you.”

“ _ Riku, _ ” her voice became more strained. “If you think you owe me something, then you owe me Naminé’s safety. Now do as I say,  _ please. Go. _ ”

Repliku opened his mouth, but found no voice to speak with. He closed it, visibly struggling as his lips twisted into a fierce frown, and turned away from her. He grabbed Naminé by the hand and began to run.

Naminé gasped. “What are you― Riku let go of me! We can’t leave her with him!”

The girl vainly tried to dig her sandals into the smooth floor, but the lack of friction it offered worked against her nearly as much as Repliku’s overwhelming strength did. The boy stopped trying to pull her, instead whirling around and clumsily sweeping the thrashing girl off her feet. He continued to sprint for the door, all the while Marluxia remained immobile, more content to watch things unfold than doing anything to stop the fleeing teens.

“Riku stop! I said  _ stop! _ ”

The boy froze mid-stride, and both him and the girl went tumbling to the floor. Emryn went rigid as a scene reminiscent to one that should have played earlier unfolded before her eyes. 

Naminé shakily pulled herself off the ground, breathing hard as she stared at the fallen puppet with a blank expression. 

Emryn’s head filled with static and immediately began to thrash against Marluxia’s hold. It didn’t matter that in her weakened state her attempts at fighting the man were no more than a nuisance. It didn’t matter that the blade of his scythe, which had already been dangerously close to begin with, was beginning to cut through her skin. She just wanted to hurt him for what he had done. To hurt him for using  _ her _ to do this to those kids, whom she had only been trying to help and protect.

“ _ You ― ! How dare you make her do that!” _ she howled. 

Marluxia chuckled, removing his scythe. “Whatever you may be implying, I did no such thing. Naminé made this choice on her own.”

His words brought Naminé out of her trance with a flinch. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself and did not look at Emryn as she walked, stiff-legged, towards Marluxia’s side. Though she dared not to look at him, Emryn knew the man’s expression had become maliciously smug. 

“Perhaps now you’ll have finally learned that no decision made by you will ever lead to anything good.” The man’s words were soft, as if he were only gently scolding her, instead of brutally tearing her and every hope she had built up, down. Emryn would not refute him, though, not here, at least. For as much as those words were meant for Naminé, it seemed as if they were meant to strike her as well. 

These were the consequences of her interference. All this confusion and pain― it was because of her now, it seemed. 

Naminé bowed her head as a portal opened up around her. Emryn watched a small tear slip down her pale cheek, before the darkness separated them from view.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... this certainly didn't end how I originally thought it would, but I'm glad either way. Tbh I also didn't think the Castle Oblivion arc would be drawn out this long either, but it's also another pleasant surprise, because I didn't know if I'd be able to draw any arc out for very long, haha. Don't worry though, the arc is definitely getting wrapped up next chapter ;3c
> 
> I apologize for updating this right at the end of the month. I really did think I'd update sooner/possibly be able to do a double update, but I'm truly starting to think I'm like, jinxed or something XD Every time I say I should be able to have something finished by a certain time, it always ends up being longer... Oh well, I'll just have to do better next month.
> 
> P.S. I'll be doing a bunch of KH short stories based on some prompts I received on tumblr before I start on the next chapter, so feel free to check those out!


	10. Binding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The only thing binding individuals together is ideas. Ideas mutate and spread, they change their hosts as much as their hosts change them." ― Bernard Beckett

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Potential KHUX spoilers in this chapter as well.

She didn’t like this. 

Naminé had been aware of this sentiment for quite some time, and yet, she continued to let the negativity fester. 

_ Guilt, _ was this feeling’s name, if she recalled correctly; similar to regret, and yet…  _ worse _ . It was such a nasty thing; a horrid feeling that should never have had the chance to exist. And yet, exist it did. Unfortunately, this feeling was not one that went unfounded. Quite the contrary; she very much believed she deserved to feel it.

What she had done, to Riku, to Emryn― that was an unforgivable betrayal. To think, after everything she had gone through, everything she had done to try and change, and she had just… She had just let it slip through her fingers when given the choice! She had actually given into Marluxia’s will, had shattered that doll’s heart and no doubt ruined every ounce of trust Emryn had unwaveringly given to her. And for what? For her to just return back to square one and be no better than a scared, mindless little pawn again? It was simply despicable.

Yes, this guilt was something she wholly accepted as what she was meant to feel. 

But what else could she have done to avoid this result? Too much had happened in the span of a few minutes, and it  _ still _ had her reeling. Had she not gone back to Marluxia’s side, then surely he would have put a permanent end to that small but beautiful light, no matter what Emryn said. And after seeing her die once, there was no way Naminé was willing to let it happen again. 

So when Riku had tried to take her away… 

Naminé shivered. That moment had been uncannily similar to when Emryn had broken the links of her illusion on Sora, yet worse, for it had been done purely by her own will; forcefully and intentionally. And just like that, she had shattered the fake Riku’s heart. Even now, she could have sworn there was still glass slipping from her fingers.

In the darkness, Naminé curled in on herself, a trail of warmth dampening her cheeks. That strange voice had been right about her: she couldn’t form true bonds.

She could only create false things that were bound to be destroyed.

The gloom began to thin, quickly dissolving to reveal the blinding white of Castle Oblivion’s halls. Naminé blinked, bringing two things into focus. The first was Emryn. She looked even worse than she had a moment ago; sweat covered her paling skin in a thick layer, with dark bruises forming beneath her eyes. Coupled with the faint rust covered stains that ran like rivers from her mouth across her lower face, the young woman appeared like death. Her maroon stained chest heaved beneath the arm that kept her trapped, and her form was barely kept upright. Even if it had only been for a few seconds, the time spent in the Dark Corridor was damaging to her.

And then there was Marluxia. The sight of him filled her with an unpleasant fire, a chaotic thing that threatened to collapse all sense of composure and obedience. It was erratic and painful, but it made  _ sense _ . She wanted to hurt him in ways worse than how he had hurt her, of that she was sure of. 

The intensity of this feeling startled her, but it was almost a welcome relief to the damning cycle of guilt. Yet seeing Emryn pinned against the founding source of this seething fire quelled it as quick as it came, though it did not wholly fade. 

Marluxia’s dull and glassy eyes pierced right through her as the man settled into an almost business-like stance. He tightened his grip around Emryn’s throat, causing a slightly labored, gurgling sound to escape her. Naminé tensed in preparation for his demands.

“I believe you know what you need to do,” the man said slowly, “if you want this woman to continue breathing.”

Another test had been placed before her, one that she knew the logical answer to, yet was still overwhelmed with indecision. To pick between a person she barely knew, and foolishly risk them both, or to continue succumbing to Marluxia’s will, condemning the boy she had hoped would be her hero. Both options trapped her between a rock and a hard place, suffocating her. Neither was the correct one, she knew, but it wasn’t like there was anything else being offered to her, either.

She wished she could do things the way Emryn did. She wished she could just stop thinking about every scary little thing and  _ finally _ stand up for herself. But she wasn’t like Emryn. She wasn’t reckless enough to forget her fears, to forget the danger posed at herself, and just charge head first into trouble for the sake of others. And anything she had done before had to have been nothing more than a fluke. Blinding, wishful thinking.

Or so she kept telling herself.

Marluxia lightly cleared his throat, breaking through only a small portion of the silence that had been oppressively building up between them. Thin lips slowly curled lower the longer Naminé continued to remain in silence. She couldn’t stand to watch him watch her, so she quickly shut her eyes, clenching her hands a little more closely to her chest.

Slowly, she reached out for Sora’s heart, as if the darkness of this moment clouded her vision. Could she lie to Marluxia and pretend that Sora was under her control once more? What would he do if he caught onto her plan before the keyblade wielder and his friends arrived? And what about Sora? Surely, he’d come to help Emryn, but… but what about  _ her _ ? Would Sora, after learning about all the things she had done, want to help her ever again?

Instantly, she recoiled away from her search. 

As she drew back, a faint, familiar glow flickered in her mind’s peripheral. A small trail of light made of dust and shards, flowed towards a point far in the dark, gathering itself together. She twitched, startled into almost physically turning towards the light. Naminé tried to reach for the new light instead, confused and curious. 

‘ _ Ri―’ _

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a portal opening. Eyes shooting wide open, the girl tuned into her surroundings just in time to see a familiar mane of red hair materialize from the Darkness.

Marluxia visibly stiffened, while on the other hand, Emryn nearly seemed to come to life. It was in the quick second before the pink haired man turned around, that Naminé caught a peculiar glimmer in Emryn’s eyes. Baffled, the girl could only watch as the new confrontation unfolded before her.

Had she not been accustomed to seeing an underlying sort of criticalness on the faces of the Organization’s members, Naminé almost could have been fooled into thinking the look Axel made as he studied the situation was one of indifference. His eyes flickered from person to person, lingering on her for just a moment longer than the rest, before returning his focus to his main target. 

“Rather bold of you to show your treasonous face around here,” Marluxia commented lightly.

“Treasonous, huh?” Axel scoffed. “I dunno what you’re talking about.”

A little more off-handedly, he added, “Lookin’ a little under the weather there, Miss Trouble. Having a little heart problem?” He tapped his chest with a small, mocking grin.

Emryn’s response was calm, as if this were just a regular little banter the two of them enjoyed from time to time, yet no less biting than if she were accusing him of something. “I’d tell you how I really feel right now, but I wasn’t born with enough middle fingers in this case.”

The man chuckled. “The surprises never seem to end with you. It’s beginning to make me wonder: What  _ can’t _ you do?”

“Turn water into wine.”

The joke was as lost on him as it was on Naminé.

“ _ Enough! _ ” snapped Marluxia. Raising his scythe, he pointed it towards Axel. “I’ve grown weary of your meddling. If it weren’t for you― If it weren’t for  _ both _ of you,” he did something which made Emryn cry out, “then we could have had the Keyblade master under our thumb and in our service by now.”

Naminé shivered. Marluxia was right, of course. If it weren’t for Emryn giving her a taste of warmth, or for Axel letting her go, she would still be in that cold room, drawing wishful fantasies over the painful truth. 

“Oh-ho,  _ right _ . That big plan of yours.” Sarcasm dripped, dangerous as poison waiting to combust, from the redhead’s mouth. “You get little Naminé to rewrite Sora’s memories one by one, turning him into her little puppet. And then, utilizing the Oracle’s powers of foresight, you waltz over destiny as if you owned it. Taking over the Organization should have been a cinch at that point,  _ right? _

“Now that I’ve laid things out in such simple terms, wouldn’t you agree with me that  _ you _ are the one painted out to be the traitor?” Axel gestured widely at his surroundings, as if they were the chess board, and he was about to call checkmate.

“ _ Tch. _ Since when did you become suspicious of us?”

“Do either one of us have the heart to believe anyone?” Fiery chakrams appeared at Axel’s side, and the man hunched ever so slightly in preparation to lunge. 

Instead of keeping his weapon trained on the opponent before him, Marluxia shifted his scythe so it was curved inwards. Naminé froze, her breath bated. “I would think out your next move carefully. Anything done out of haste might yield a few…  _ casualties. _ ”

Something in Naminé snapped. She had accepted, without a doubt, that Marluxia’s threats had ceased being idle for some time. She had acknowledged that she wasn’t strong enough to face him on her own. But now, Naminé knew she had to do  _ something _ . Because if she didn’t, Axel  _ would _ , and the only thing she trusted that man to be was ruthlessly unpredictable. If it meant a means to an end, he would surely cut through the shield Marluxia had made of Emryn without even the slightest inclination to hesitate.

Without waiting for her mind to formulate a ( _ sensible _ ) plan, previous doubts vanished in a trail of flames, and the girl dove for Marluxia. She lunged at his scythe, wrapping her thin arms around the shaft and putting all of her meager weight into pulling the wicked blade as far away from Emryn as she could. Unprepared for the attack as he was, Marluxia was incapable of resisting the girl’s sudden found vigor. 

“Let go of her!” Naminé practically snarled at the man, struggling to keep him from taking the weapon back, occasionally kicking him in the shin. Marluxia stared at her with an utterly dumbfounded expression painted on his face as he attempted to shake her off. 

The distraction caused the man to relinquish some of his control over his captive, and Emryn took great advantage of that.

“Sayonara, ya pink haired, rose scented  _ loofa! _ ” she yelled with a surprising amount of energy. 

Raising both arms and clasping one hand over the other, Emryn drove her elbow into the man’s gut, causing him to release her as he doubled over. The woman stumbled, her legs still too weak to support her full weight on their own. She cast Axel a strange, guarded look, before giving him a nod and diving towards Naminé.

At that moment, all chaos broke loose. Naminé released her hold on the scythe, catching Emryn and tumbling away. Marluxia only had a split second to recover before Axel descended upon him, sending a flurry of fiery, bladed wheels at him.

The two girls thudded against the floor. Emryn whimpered a little as she struggled to pick herself up. Shaking off the sudden wave of tremors that befell her, Naminé scrambled to her feet, hooking both hands under Emryn’s arms, and dragged the woman to her feet. They took off running for the door.

“Remember the order, Marluxia:  _ You must eliminate the traitor! _ ” Axel crowed with a heightened frenzy, and the room’s temperature seemed to rise ten degrees. Metal clashed against metal, grating on her ears and speeding up the uneven tempo of her heart.

Emryn looked over her shoulder, bloodshot eyes enlarging. “ _ Duck! _ ” she screeched, pushing them both to the ground once more.

A searing heat flew over them and into the neighboring wall with a resounding  _ crack! _ Naminé looked up to see one of Axel’s chakrams embedded in the marble, the heat still shimmering off it in waves. Dust and chunks of rock fell with heavy clunks onto the floor. 

“Watch where you’re aiming, you fool,” Marluxia hissed. “You could have hit Naminé!”

“And do I look like I care?” the redhead drawled. 

Emryn coughed quietly. “Wow, thanks for the concern, jackwagon.”

The callous remark barely phased the girl, as her only concern had become hardwired on getting out of this predicament as fast as she could. If they could just reach Sora before they became any more entangled in this fight…!

The door to the hall opened, and everything came to a grinding halt. Sora strode in, keyblade in hand, and odd companions in tow. His body tensed as he moved into a familiar offensive position. 

“Sora!” Naminé and Emryn shouted, the tones of relief varying from hopeful to weary. 

The boy blinked and his mouth fell open. “Emryn? Naminé?”

Using her shoulder to help balance, Emryn got to her knees, wildly waving a hand back and forth as she did so. “Q ‘n A session later! Deal with this problem first!”

Sora glanced at the two cloaked members behind them and nodded his head grimly. Stepping closer to the boy, both Donald and Goofy raised their weapons in determination.

“Come now,” Marluxia said suddenly. “Surely we can all reach an agreeable arrangement here. We don’t want anyone getting…  _ hurt _ … after all.”

“Shoulda thought about damage control before you started throwing out death ultimatums, ya dumb nut.” Emryn’s scathing remark was neatly finished off with a roll of her eyes.

Naminé helped her to her feet and they huddled close to one another. Slowly, they began to inch their way back towards the Keyblader. A trickle of sweat slid down her neck as she surveyed the scene she inhabited. Things were about to become a full blown battle royale, and they were currently stuck in the worst seats possible; right smack in the middle of opposing sides.

Everything was quiet. No one dared make the first move. Around her were warm and void-like forces; darkness and light. She felt smothered by it. Her heart pounded erratically through her chest, forcing its way up, up, up and lodging itself into her throat. It was an illness inducing sensation.

Emryn’s nails dug through the coat and into her arm. Naminé looked at her― looked into the eyes of a survivor ―and saw a determined light shining brightly.

‘ _ You have more power than you know, _ ’ that light― the unspoken words Emryn held on to ―seemed to say, sharing that determination with her. ‘ _ And the greatest of that power you possess, is the power to choose. What binds you, what breaks you, and what makes you― It’s all up to you.’ _

Words became like keys, and keys unlocked fetters. And the fetters that had tightly bound her before fell from her mind.

For the first time since she came to be, Naminé truly felt warm.

“Well, hate to break the tension, wonderful as it may be, but I’ve got things to do. Traitors to kill, routine to get back to. You know, the usual.” 

Naminé turned away in time to see Axel fling his chakrams in opposite directions. One flew towards Marluxia, spitting fire as it spun, and the other arched high in the air, sailing above the girls and behind them. Her eyes went round as she whipped around, a scream falling from her lips.

“Sora!”

The trio tucked and rolled in opposite directions to avoid the flaming projectile. In that split second, a flurry of dark petals fluttered around her, obscuring her view. Their scent was sickly sweet, cloying her nose and throat, choking her.

‘ _ No! No, no, no, no! I won’t go back to him! Never again!’ _ she thought frantically.

Her desperation caused her to expand her mind, touching upon every conscience, every  _ heart _ , in the castle. Naminé saw everything, and yet, she saw nothing at all. She blindly lashed out towards the void which the flowers originated from and attacked. The mental hit struck true, and she tore at his unsuspecting defenses with the frenzy of a wild flame. Fire sought out his weakness, tearing it from his grasp and devouring it.

_ A young girl was walking towards him, her long red hair catching the light of the sun just right, giving her a golden halo. She was smiling, holding out her hand. But never again. Never again would she do that, and there was nothing he could do that would change the fact. He had failed her. He had failed― _

Naminé jerked backwards, falling through the whirlwind of flowers and into Sora. The boy yelped and they both crashed to the ground. Her chest heaved as she greedily sucked in air.

What had she just seen?

Realizing that everything had fallen silent once again, the girl lifted her head and looked around. She stopped breathing entirely. Emryn was gone.

And Marluxia― The man staggered. He clutched his face with one hand, and between his fingers, bright blue eyes blazed with an unfamiliar emotion. Before she could figure it out, he vanished.

Goofy and Donald cautiously helped Sora and Naminé stand up. Everyone but the girl― who gazed at the spot her captor had just stood moments ago, mind spinning ―watched the remaining Organization member with guarded expressions. Axel mimicked the scrutinizing treatment he was receiving. His chakrams, now returned to him, hung loosely in his grasp. 

He made no other attempt to attack.

“You and I, we have a lot in common, Sora,” the man said quite slowly. “I’d rather not fight you at the moment, if at all.”

‘ _ He’s doing it again,’ _ Naminé thought, somewhat dazedly. ‘ _ He’s giving us an out.’ _

She turned to Sora, hesitantly placing a hand on his arm. “Don’t fight him, please.” Her voice was small, no higher than a whisper, but firm. More urgently, she added, “We don’t have time!”

Sora’s eyes flickered uncertainly between her and the redhead.

“If he’s willing to let us pass, then we have to take it.”

“How do we know it’s not a trap?!” Donald wave his wand in Axel’s direction accusingly.

“Yeah, how do we know?” Goofy asked more thoughtfully. “He’s from the same group as Marluxia and Larxene. Although, he was just fighting the pink guy a moment ago…”

Sora put his hand over hers and a wild flutter ignited in her chest. “He’s done awful things Naminé. Surely you under―,” he paused before averting his eyes. “Surely you’ve seen.”

Naminé swallowed hard. The remark stung.

Callous laughter erupted from the man. “Let’s just get this out of the way then: You don’t. You just won’t know if my word is good for anything, but it’s a risk you’re gonna have to take. One of your friends is in trouble, after all, and it won’t do you any good to waste your time on little old me.” He shrugged, as if none of this actually mattered to him.

Naminé slipped her hand out from under Sora’s, her fingers curling at her side. Righting her posture, the girl began to run towards the man, despite the uproar of protests that followed her. Curious green eyes followed her every move through veiled slits. No matter how Axel put it, he was right. They didn’t have the luxury of wasting time on him, and she needed to prove it. 

She brushed past the man without a second glance, but stopped short just behind him. “You’d just rather we take care of the work for you,” was all she said, before moving on.

“Oh, clever. Figure that one out by prying into my head too?” His sarcasm made her balk, but she didn’t allow it to make her bow down. Instead, she tossed her head over her shoulder, her face feeling like stone as she glared at him.

Axel shook his head, a hint of a grin twitching across his face. “Looks like you’ve learned quite a few bad habits from that woman. Not so puppet like now, though, are ya?” He shook his head and turned on his heel. A dark portal opened. “Whatever. As far as I’m concerned, you guys can play the heroes and take out the bad guy. Once dear old Marly is gone, there’s no need for me to stick around.”

“Hey wait!” Sora held out his hand, as if that would stop the man from leaving.

Axel paused, one foot in the darkness, and looked over at the boy. He raised his hand and gave a two fingered salute. “See ya ‘round kid.”

And then he was gone.

The boy looked to his friends in confusion. Naminé didn’t know how to explain it to him. Axel was an insufferable riddle to everyone he came into contact with, herself included. Figuring him out was always like moving one step forward and then falling back about a dozen paces more.

The girl sighed, running a hand through her hair. She glanced at the door in front of her, a wave of doubt suddenly threatening to douse the flames of confidence that had arisen inside. How did she explain anything anymore? How was she supposed to move forward now? In the long run, not thinking about her woes and problems was just as detrimental as thinking about them; Emryn’s philosophy needed some work.

‘ _ Emryn!’ _ As if bolstered by the thought of the other woman, Naminé was kicked into gear, and she resumed running for the door. Now was the time to be resolute in her decisions. No more hiding. No more waiting for someone to save her. It was time to fight for herself, and right the wrongs she had wrought.

Sora and the others hurried to catch up with her, undoubtedly putting all their questions to the side for later. The boy caught up to her quickly. He held his weapon in front of him, eyes darting from side to side to search for enemies. Occasionally, though, she caught him peeking at her with curiosity coloring his gaze. Perhaps he was comparing her now to the her in the memories she had planted in him. 

She couldn’t help but wonder what he thought about this version of her.

“We’ll beat Marluxia.” The words came out of his mouth so suddenly, her feet stopped moving out of shock. Deep blue eyes penetrated her with an unwavering confidence. “We’ll beat Marluxia and save Emryn. And once he’s gone, you’ll both be free! I promise.”

She blinked. And blinked again. Slowly, a smile pulled at her face, unable to help herself. It may have been out of nowhere, or maybe even his attempt at reassuring her, but whatever it was, it was just like him to say something like that.

As she opened her mouth, a heavy sound echoed from the other end of the room. Everyone whirled around to face the source, watching in trepidation as the other door opened.

Little fragments of light perforated her vision, flowing from the door as a foot came into view. Everyone gasped when the figure entered the room.

“ _ Riku! _ ”

* * *

 

Emryn hit the floor in a whirlwind of petals and pain, and she stayed there despite how uncomfortable the floor actually was. The cool marble seeped through her sticky clothes and sent painful chills running through her body. Breathing was difficult, the white of everything in the stupid castle emitting an almost dreamlike tint to them. ( _ Though that was probably because her glasses had fallen off while she was in the Dark Corridor. _ )

Darkness threatened to overlap that vision.

The Dark Corridors were still too strong for her while she was in this condition. And having been pulled through them not once, not twice, but  _ three _ times now? By the same pink haired asshole? That was just rubbing an excessive amount of salt into the wound.

Somewhere beyond her field of vision, said pink haired asshole was muttering a string of curses beneath his breath.

‘ _ Someone’s got their granny panties in a twist,’ _ came the hazy thought. ‘ _ At least something good is coming out of this whole mess. Though the best scenario would have involved me not being held hostage. Again. _

‘ _ Damn my inability to readily adapt to magic.’ _

The thought surprised her a little. Before, she supposed a part of her still doubted that any of this was even real. But now it seemed that this whole concept of magic even  _ existing _ was finally beginning to sink in.

Lucky her. It only took literally  _ dying _ for her to come to grips with it. And with the way things were shaping out, she might be looking forward to floating in that abyss and trying to become a ‘ _ Nothing’ _ once again.

The sharp click of boots approaching broke her concentration. Emryn struggled to move, to roll away or at least turn her head to see the enemy approach. But once again, her muscles were almost completely useless to her.

Fingers threaded through her hair, clenching tightly as they yanked her up. A sharp cry split the air, and then, through tears, she found herself face to face with her second least favorite guy ever.

“ _ Did you tell the little witch about the girl? _ ” the man seethed. The ire he threw at her made her quail against her own will.

“Wha―”

“Did you tell the witch about the girl?! Tell her to dig it out of my head and force me to relive the past once again? Did you think to gain some sort of leverage over me with such a trick?”

‘ _ The girl? What is he―,’ _ The dawning realization of what he meant made her pause. ‘ _ Strelitzia.’ _

Had Naminé done something to Marluxia? Was that why she was not here with them now? Was the man’s guilt that strong that even his heartless self could be consumed by such an emotion now? 

The thought of it almost brought a smile to her face.

“Why?” Her voice was hoarse. “Feeling guilty?”

His grip tightened. Tears threatened to fall as her scalp prickled and ached where he held onto.

Marluxia’s face twisted into a snarl. “You know  _ nothing _ about me.”

“Does everyone just not listen when I tell them I don’t know everything?” she snapped. “I mean, I’m pretty sure I told you ‘ _ a writer doesn’t know every little detail of their story’,  _ or something to that effect. Especially this story, because it isn’t even finished yet!”

Sometimes she wished she could bite her tongue off before she could really get going. It would save her so much trouble, and then she wouldn’t even have to worry about the lack of duct tape in this universe.

The man blinked, absorbing the information. “Not… finished, you say?”

He released her and she smacked the floor face first. A muffled, sibilant sound filled the air. Emryn lifted her head, nose throbbing, and glared at Marluxia’s retreating figure.

Despite her poor vision, it wasn’t difficult to see the gears turning in his conniving head. Even if he hated her guts at this point, any and every little morsel of info she fed to him always seemed to get the hamsters in his brain going at remarkable speeds, trying to figure out a way to work it to his advantage. Marluxia paused midstep, turning to look back at her.

“I thought before that I knew how you operated, but I see that a more accurate understanding of your powers would be beneficial before proceeding,” he murmured. Then louder, he asked, “How much of this…  _ story _ , as you put it, do you have recorded? Is there a chance that my plan can still be salvaged if you do not know the next part?”

She kept her mouth clamped shut.

“Answer me, Oracle, and I’ll make your life easier than it’s about to become.” Marluxia was in front of her again. Though she knew it was futile, Emryn tried to at least shimmy away from him. She got maybe a centimeter away when the man knelt on one knee.

Emryn spat on his boot. “Oh what, like you haven’t already made it that way so far?”

Bright eyes scrutinized her carefully. She hated to think of what he was scheming behind that blank façade of his. “Does death not intimidate you, or are you just a fool?” he asked.

“We all die at some point,” Emryn half shrugged, though really she was trying to ignore the sweat building up on her back. “You either kill or get killed. What’cha gonna do about it? Also, I’ve kinda already died once today, so like, your question sorta falls flat anyways.”

His nose wrinkled and his gaze burned holes right through her. Marluxia opened his mouth to say something, but paused. He turned his head towards the door, hearing something she could not, and he tensed. Emryn let out a quiet sigh. Help was finally arriving!

‘ _ I just wish I wasn’t the captive that needed saving.’ _ The regretful thought nagged at her relentlessly. No amount of wishing was going to change the way things were now, though. Only rest away from this bullshit would take care of that― something she hoped to be seeing soon.

The man stood, summoning his weapon.

“Company arrives,” he announced.

“Thank you Captain Obvious.” She ignored the dirty look he shot her in favor of watching the entrance. Any moment now then Sora and co would be barging through those doors to save the day. She had no idea how things would proceed, but hopefully enough of the original plot still had its roots in this new route she had invented.

The doors slammed open, and in charged Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Following in at the rear was Naminé. Everyone looked ready to fight, and Emryn’s hope soared right through the roof.

The group stopped about halfway into the hall, leaving a gaping amount of space between them an her.

“How nice of you to finally join us.” Marluxia’s greeting was so cordial, it practically smothered the sneer his words carried.

Sora’s grip on his keyblade tightened. Tension rippled through the air, so palpable that it could practically be tasted. Emryn watched with bated breath.

“Let Emryn go,” the boy demanded. He leveled his weapon at Marluxia. Emryn could almost make out a steely scowl on his face.

“Perhaps,” Marluxia gestured at the group, “if you’re willing to make a trade, that is.”

‘ _ Why is he so desperate to keep pursuing this plan?’  _ she wondered. ‘ _ It’s over for him. Doesn’t he realize that?’ _

“In exchange for this woman’s life, you will lend me your services by helping me by overthrow the leader of the Organization. No strings attached.”

‘ _ That sounds like such utter bullshit. If that’s how he’s going to play it, then maybe he should have just asked right from the beginning, instead of going through this elaborate scheme like he did.’ _

The same thoughts ( _ though probably less vulgar _ ) seemed to run through the group as a whole, and they shifted into a more aggressive stance. 

“Here’s a better idea,” Sora growled. “We take Emryn back and you get nothin’, except a few new bruises.”

Without waiting for Marluxia’s answer, everyone leapt into action. Goofy threw his shield on the ground, causing it to spin wildly, and hopped onto it. From her vantage point, it didn’t really look like he could control his makeshift vehicle. Yet somehow he managed to avoid going completely off the rails. Donald and Sora quickly followed his lead and jumped onto Goofy’s shoulders. The duo simultaneously raised their weapons.

“ _ Fire! _ ” Sora yelled at the same time Donald shouted, “ _ Blizzard! _ ”

The magic shot into the air and collided; flames turned the ice into water, and with both wielders pulling out all the stops, the intensity of the spells caused the liquid to condense into a heavy mist. In moments, Emryn’s vision was completely obscured, save for what was right in front of her.

Footsteps pounded across the floor in her direction. Emryn lifted her head just in time to see Naminé dart from out of the mist. She held out her hand as the girl reached for her. 

A shadow flickered in her peripheral.

“Look out!” Em’s throat burned as she screeched the warning. The girl looked up just in time to see Marluxia lunge from the mist with his scythe raised.

A dark, blurry object flew in from above and met the flowery instrument of death with a clang and a flurry of sparks.

“Think again!” snarled a familiar voice. Emryn gaped. She hadn’t been sure of what to expect to come about with this fight. Repliku making an appearance had merely been a mild bout of wishful hope at best, since the manner in which he’d been broken differed from what she knew.

But here he was, and he looked ready to rip the man in front of them apart.

Naminé took the distraction in stride, reaching her and looping her arms under Emryn’s. The girl quickly began to drag her away into the fading mist.

“You were just a shell! Everything you possessed was stripped away,” Marluxia snarled. “How is it possible that you’re standing now?!”

Repliku chuckled grimly as he continued to drive the man back. “You know what I am. How could you possibly think I had anything  _ real _ to begin with?”

They both fell into what remained of the mist. The sounds of metal clashing against metal increased, followed by vicious outcries and brilliant shots of light as magic was released into the air. Naminé ducked behind the door, setting Emryn against the wall before falling to the ground beside her. She kept close watch at the opening.

The sounds of battle drew away, towards the other side of the room. 

“Hey!” Sora yelled. “Get back here!”

“Don’t run away,  _ coward! _ ” came Repliku’s dissonant howl.

Heavy groaning filled the area, followed by a boom as the opposing doors settled into place. Footsteps rushed away. Then, there was silence.

Naminé leaned back on her heels with a sigh.

“It’s almost over,” she finally said.

Emryn nodded. Then, breathlessly, she began to question the girl. “That attack was so organized. Did you plan that? And what about Riku? I wasn’t sure of how he was supposed to come back, since I― since things took a different route than planned.”

Her head fell back against the wall, light hair sweeping across shiny skin. Quietly, the girl began to explain what had transpired during their separation, and then some.

“I think… Whatever consciousness I hadn’t taken from Riku forced the shards of his heart to reconnect on their own. Before I…,” she paused, clearing her throat. “Before I broke him, he had a purpose to fulfill, and he wanted to see to it that it was done. Dutiful stubbornness, just like the original Riku.”

“So it seems that Humpty Dumpty  _ can _ put himself back together again.”

A rueful smile painted itself across her face and she let out a soft giggle. “Yes. So it seems.”

“And the plan?”

“I thought we could use the means of Larxene’s downfall to our advantage again. Not as something to destroy him, but temporarily disable him. And since he couldn’t have known about Riku’s revival, I suggested that he head a surprise attack after the smoke screen was set off. While they kept Marluxia busy, I’d rescue you.”

Emryn stared at the girl with mounting awe. “Dang. And you thought of all this on the fly pretty much, right? You’re amazingly clever, you know that?”

Her cheeks pinked, and a small, bright smile lit up her face. Em’s chest was filled to the brim with warm pride, it was practically overflowing. Twice now, this kid had managed to stun her and pull the rug out from under her feet with such force that it left her mind spinning. Naminé had come really far. Emryn was glad that, of all the things that had happened since getting here, at least this one was good.

The pleasant mood depleted rapidly as the girl curled in on herself.

“I’m sorry,” she said suddenly.

Em blinked. “For what?”

“I put you― I put everyone in danger because I allowed myself to be manipulated again. After everything you’ve done to help me, that’s a really crummy way to pay you back.”

There was a moment where the explanation simply rang in her ears before it completely settled in her mind. Emryn couldn’t deny that if Naminé had just allowed Repliku to take her away, everything would have been even more different than before. But Naminé was just as much of a victim of the circumstances as she and Repliku were. There hadn’t been a truly safe way to avoid the trap Marluxia had made. And the one who fell the hardest for it, had been herself.

“When I think about it, we all made some difficult, unfortunate choices,” she began slowly. “But the one most to blame is, and always will be, Marluxia. You couldn’t have been expected to just automatically overcome all of the emotional abuse he’s put you through. It’s unreasonable, and I’m not gonna be mad at you for what’s happened here in this castle, okay?”

She grunted as she forced herself to sit closer to the girl. Naminé bit her lower lip while continuing to listen.

“The fact that you acknowledge your mistakes counts for something. The fact that you want to fix those mistakes, and learn from them, is also amazing. You can’t get everything right on the first try, and shouldn’t always have to. But trying anyways― Well, it takes you a long way from where you initially started. That’s what change is all about.”

Naminé seemed to seriously consider all of this. She didn’t look anywhere but at the sleeves of her coat, rubbing her hands together absently, fidgeting with the overstretched hems. After a long bout of silence, she finally seemed to come to terms with herself.

“Thank you, Emryn,” the girl murmured. “I’ve learned so much because of you. And now… Now I don’t feel so hollow anymore.”

Em opened her mouth to say something, a grin on her face, when a violent rumble shook the castle. Both girls wobbled dangerously in an effort to stay upright. When it stopped, the air somehow felt lighter.

Naminé jumped to her feet, breathing heavily. “They did it! They beat him!”

The door groaned as she pushed it open, just in time to catch everyone rushing out from the other side. Donald and Goofy hurried to shut the giant doors, and once they were, a beam of light shot out of Sora’s keyblade.

In the blink of an eye, the room became sealed off. Forever.

A giant wave of relief washed through the room. Finally, they were safe.

Naminé helped Emryn to her feet, slowly guiding her towards the group.

Sora turned to Repliku, raising his hand with a dopey grin and belting out in uncontrollable giggles. Repliku hesitated for a moment, before allowing himself a small smile of his own and high fiving the other boy. He seemed to notice them approaching, though, because he quickly pulled away from Sora to face them.

“You guys alright?”

“Honestly? I’ve seen better days.” Emryn shrugged with a wince. “But we’re fine. What about you?”

“Better, now that that over-glorified weed wacker is gone.” Sora laced his hands behind his head as Emryn struggled to not choke on the shade in the air. Eyeing the boy through tears, Em couldn’t help but envy how quickly he could just fall back into his laid back habits. If she was being honest, all she wanted was to fall into a coma for a few days and forget everything that had happened. But even then, there was always Dreamself to make sure she’d never relax.

“So what now?” Donald asked. “Are we going to get our memories fixed?”

The question made Repliku shift uncomfortably, an action that didn’t go unnoticed.

“Riku? What’s wrong?” Sora demanded. 

Repliku squirmed even more. “I’m… I’m  _ not _ Riku. I’m just an imitation. A fake.”

His solemn response made everyone but Emryn freeze. The others hadn’t been made privy to that information, yet, it seemed. The shock was more intense in the moment than she remembered it being in the game.

“I don’t know what my purpose is, other than being a replacement― and not even a good one at that,” the silver haired boy continued. “All that I have is just as fake as I am.”

“But you’re not fake.” Sora was adamant in his denial. “You can’t be. You’re here now, aren’t you?”

“Just being here doesn’t make me a real person. I was created, Sora, and not by any normal means.” Repliku shook his head and began to back away. “I’m just a puppet wearing someone else’s face. And there’s nothing you nor I can do about that.”

“You’re still you though! Even if… Even if you are just a puppet, you’ve got your own heart. Everything you feel, everything you know― It all belongs to you!”

That got the boy to pause. He thought, for a moment, before turning to incline his head towards her. Emryn squinted uncertainly at him. 

“Sounds like something I’ve heard before,” he murmured, a hint of a smile in his words.

He turned around, then, and continued walking away.

“I may not be real,” he said over his shoulder, “but it doesn’t take a genius to see how real your feelings are. All of you. And that’s good enough for me.”

Before he reached the door, Naminé slipped out from under her, forcing Em to hastily lean on Sora to avoid completely falling over. The small girl darted after the boy, catching him by the arm just as he reached for the handle. Repliku turned, and quietly, Naminé began to speak to him.

It was a good long minute in which she spoke to him, and even longer in which she waited for him to consider her words. Finally, without saying anything, he ruffled her hair. And then, he left.

Naminé lingered at the door for awhile longer. But when she returned, everything about her was just a little lighter. Emryn had her suspicions about what had just taken place, but she kept her mouth shut. She was just proud that Naminé had taken the leap all on her own.

* * *

 

The Sleepy Time Room, as per her recent dubbing and failing memory, was perhaps the most interesting room Emryn had seen in this entire damn castle. The big lotus pod shined and hummed with energy as it opened, and overall, the whole techno vibe the room gave off was intriguing. She was almost tempted to call dibs and run into the pod first, just so she could get some freaking shut eye with some anti-gravity sorcery going on in the background. 

But like the good NPC she was trying ( _ and failing _ ) to be, Emryn didn’t do that.

‘ _ Wonder if I can convince Naminé to let me sleep in one of the ones I saw on the way in though. Do these things also physically heal people too? Or is the concept just based on cryosleep pods in sci-fi? Though only getting a nap isn’t that bad either. A win-win by any standards, considering all the shit I had to put up with by being present for this arc.’ _

“Uh, Emryn? You awake?” Something shook her by the shoulder and she practically jumped. Moving sent pins and needles stabbing everything in her body, and she cringed as the sensation. Em rubbed her eyes. When had she started to drift off?

“Sorry! Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you like that.” Sora chuckled as he helped steady her. 

“S’okay,” she mumbled seconds before yawning. The young woman blinked and stared at the boy through the bleariness. “Just with no more excitement going on then I’m ready to pass out, y’know?”

The boy nodded. “Yeah, I understand. But you get used to it after awhile.”

‘ _ But I don’t want to get used to it…’ _

“Hey Emryn?”

“Hmm?”

Sora fidgeted around as he searched for the right words. “You did a lot of good by being here. It may not seem that way to you, but to me, you’ve made a big difference. I just wanted to thank you for having mine and Naminé’s and Riku’s back. You’re a real hero in my book.”

Whether it was because his words were unbelievably cheesy, or because she was utterly exhausted, or just the fact that it was  _ Sora _ thanking her, Emryn almost burst into tears. She scrubbed at the corners of her eyes, blinking rapidly. Sora patted her shoulder.

“Thanks kid,” Em mumbled, a little hoarse. “You’re a real hero to me too. And I’m glad that I got to meet you, even if circumstances weren’t all that great.”

That made him beam. “Wish I could have gotten to know ya a bit before all this.” He vaguely gestured around him. “But I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time later! After Naminé fixes my memory, let’s meet again.”

Emryn hesitated. What did she say to  _ that? _ When Sora wakes up again, a year will have passed. Even if she  _ did _ possess the intention to stick around that long,  _ would _ she still even be here, in this universe? The boy knew  _ now _ that he wouldn’t have any memories of what went down in this castle, so was it even worth it to promise him something when she wasn’t even certain of the future? 

“I…,” she chewed on her lower lip for another moment. “Yeah. If we happen to bump into each other, let’s meet up. Get off on the right foot next time, y’know? I’ll even tell you about what happened here, since there’s no reason not to.”

“Deal?”

“Deal.”

Sora offered his hand, and she took it. A strangely familiar warmth rippled through Emryn’s chest as they shook on the promise. Absently, she rubbed at the spot it was most prominent in, just above the place Larxene had stabbed her.

The boy began to back away, waving. “See ya later Emryn!”

“Y-yeah…”

As he walked back to Naminé then Donald and Goofy walked away from her, wishing her good night. The girl waved goodbye to them, before turning expectantly towards Sora. The two Disney uncles approached Emryn instead of heading for their pods.

“You take care of yourself now,” Goofy said kindly.

“And don’t go jumping into trouble so recklessly!” Emryn snickered to herself a little while Donald wagged a finger at her.

“Alright, I promise. You two take care.”

They bid her goodnight as well and left the room. Emryn sighed, feeling just a bit heavier than before. Was it the nostalgia of reaching the end? Or was it just more exhaustion?

At the large lotus pod, Naminé was still talking to Sora, even as the door closed. Emryn began to trudge over to her, still rubbing her chest. The pod closed, and the room was silent, save for the thrum of energy. The girl held her hands close to her chest while smiling with tears in her eyes.

“One of the nice things about Sora is that he’s very accepting of people,” she said quietly. “His heart’s so big that he can’t help but fill it up by trying to make friends out of everyone he meets. It’s insane, almost, but also very endearing.”

Naminé looked away from the pod. “You two are similar, you know. Your hearts are so big and full of love and  _ warmth _ . You’ve helped me to see myself with your lights, and for that I’m very grateful.”

The praise made Emryn blush. 

“But you’ve gotta promise me one thing.” Her brows furrowed as she pursed her lips. “You have to start thinking a little bit more before you dive headfirst into something. Because even though you mean well, you’re gonna end up getting yourself killed. And I don’t want that to happen.”

‘ _ Ah, everything boils right down to thinking. My one strength that’s also my weakness.’ _ Emryn internally sighed.

“I can’t guarantee anything, but I promise I’ll try.”

Naminé nodded, relaxing in apparent relief. They fell quiet once again, observing the sleeping boy. Eventually, Emryn caught herself nodding off, and she contemplated asking Naminé about using one of the pods some more. Just as she opened her mouth, the girl spoke again.

“You and me, we’re friends… right?”

She studied the blonde inquisitively. Large eyes stared back at her expectantly. There wasn’t a trace of uncertainty or doubt in her voice so much as genuine curiosity. 

Em smiled, then, and reached out to take the girl’s hand. She hooked their pinkies together and held it up so they could both see. “Without a doubt.”

The same warmth from earlier pooled into her chest, hotter than before. It practically buzzed as if she had been holding her breath for a long time. Her heart pounded against her ribs. Her vision blurred even more. But the room― The room got brighter.

Or rather, it was Emryn who lit up the room.

Something shot out from her chest, snaking its way over her arm and wrapping around the girls’ linked hands. It wound around Naminé’s arm before stopping and connecting at the heart. Em blinked rapidly to clear her vision. When she could finally see again, she gasped. 

Connecting the two was a chain. While Naminé’s side of the chain was pure white, Emryn’s was a deep, rich red. Where the two colors met was an almost rosy color. A faint light shined around it, pulsing. Almost like a heartbeat.

“ _ The method tests true; hearts be bound anew; tread carefully now, and you shall see this road through. _ ”

The eerie voice washed through her mind, and from the corners of her eyes she saw Naminé flinch, and knew she had heard it too. Emryn stared at the fading chain with a horde of emotions clamoring for attention building in her mind. It never left her mind even as it disappeared, and with it, her energy vanished, sapped away by the otherworldly magic. Not when her body collapsed from the exhaustion. Not even as her eyes fluttered and darkness overwhelmed her sight.

Her mind was filled with dreams of chains, and in every one of them was Dreamself, an unreadable grin bared on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, sorry that I went on such a long hiatus. I honestly didn't mean for that to happen. For some reason wrapping up this arc has just been such pain in the butt. And writing anything, really. But hopefully with this up and out of the way I can really crack down on stuff! 
> 
> On another note, oooooo how about those KHUX updates? Not gonna lie, it kinda upset me. But most of that just went into "How the hell am I supposed to work this into what I've already written/established?!" That's just a problem I have with writing about a series/story that hasn't finished yet, though. Makes it easier to figure out how to write my own story. But once I have to fill in the blanks myself then I get too attached to my own ideas, that when canon comes in and shoots them down, I just get bitter XD Oh well though.
> 
> Anyway, here's to being almost a month away from the release date!


	11. Welcome to Devil's Bayou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the joke known as "change" gets taken to multiple levels of literal

There was something terribly unnerving about traveling directly to and from Castle Oblivion and The Castle That Never Was. Perhaps it was just that both places were so similar in terms of blandness that it felt like he hadn’t really gone anywhere at all. Or maybe it was the oppressing feeling that he wasn’t truly welcome in either place. Whatever it was, it somehow always managed to disorient him for a couple seconds after he popped out of the portal.

If it weren’t for the fact that he had made certain to teleport into his own room, then he’d definitely feel more insane than he did in the first place.

Axel shook his head, but the dull walls didn’t turn into a slightly brighter version of themselves.

The man slid silently across the floor. Unceremoniously, he fell onto his bed face first and sprawled out with a low groan. There were other things he should be doing right now, but damn if this bed didn’t feel good. If only he could stay in it, forget about his responsibilities, sleep for a century or two. That’d be nice.

Unfortunately for him, it was always work. Work, work, work. And in light of recent events, he wasn’t going to be rid of it anytime soon.

‘ _Damn that woman,_ ’ he couldn’t help but think sourly as he rolled onto his back. ‘ _And damn her bleeding heart too.’_

He wished he’d never brought her with him on his return from his mission. No, he shouldn’t have even bothered to save her from the Heartless. In hindsight, all he’d gotten from it was a mess he still hadn’t figured out how to clean up. And it just kept on getting worse.

Rubbing his face, Axel sat up, suddenly restless. He needed to go report in, but no matter how much he tried to convince himself to do it, everything in him ( _which wasn’t a lot, honestly_ ) wanted to put it off for a little bit longer. The boss, Saïx, they’ve waited this long. They could wait a little longer to hear from him. There were still things he needed to sort out. What to tell and what to keep to himself. And just what he was going to do about that Oracle. Normal, over complicated stuff. Business as usual.

Axel waved his hand, conjuring a new portal. He needed to think somewhere else, and with luck, he’d run into a familiar face with where he had in mind.

The lanky man pushed off his bed and ambled through the swirling mass of darkness. Walking through the pulsing corridor, bombarded with silence and his own thoughts, Axel attempted to wrap his head around the finale to his time at Castle Oblivion. The more he tried, though, the more his brain just wanted to shut down― it was so full.

‘ _Marluxia was right about one thing: The Oracle is more trouble than she’s worth. And I thought us Nobodies were a pain in the ass to deal with.’_ He shoved his hands into his pockets, balling them up tightly before slowly relaxing again. ‘ _From not minding her own business to pointlessly getting injured for someone else; she’s completely insane. And that magic. Showing up out of nowhere, words that can alter things within and around me. Creepy, invasive magic.’_

There’ve been plenty of strange things he’d seen over the years; Heartless, people, places, other magical objects and the like. Why, growing up, he remembered this one old man who always wore what looked like a dusty blue nightgown. The guy always talked like he didn’t have time to be talking, yet also seemed to have all the time in the worlds to tell you about some random piece of trivia he had stored in that bald noggin of his. But that guy was tame in comparison to a woman that wasn’t even aware she was manipulating reality.

Saïx would definitely want to know about the new development. He’d probably label it as top priority, even. But what good would it do to tell him when the person in question would never cooperate? Whether the Oracle figured out these new powers of hers or not, as far as she was concerned, her help was never going to be offered to the Organization or himself.

The worst part though? He kind of understood why. From someone with a heart’s point of view, from a _writer’s_ point of view, they undoubtedly looked like the bad guys. Even he had to admit that there were questionable people within the group, himself included. But even if that particular detail weren’t obvious, the Oracle had made it abundantly clear on her part she just didn’t like the Organization.

‘ _Whether she cooperates or not though I’ll still have to go collect her at some point. She’s like a valuable piece of property in the eyes of the Organization. And our great leader doesn’t like to lose his property.’_

The portal evened out, opening into a broader space. Axel emerged in the shadow of an alleyway filled with boxes overflowing with junk. One end led into what looked like a crude, makeshift clubhouse, while the other was barred by an uneven chain link fence. Beyond that fence the shadows petered out into a dim gold-orange of twilight. Standing in the middle of the road, with his back to him, was a familiar mess of blond hair.

“Yo, Roxas!”

The call startled the boy, causing him to jump as he whirled around. A strong look of disbelief was painted over the surprise as he watched Axel stride out of the alley. Jaw dropped, eyes rounded and bugging out of his head, and a spluttering sound that was coming from somewhere in the back of his throat. It was almost comical.

“Long time no see,” he grinned.

“ _Axel?!_ ” the kid finally managed to choke out. “But you― Castle Oblivion― They said― _Annihilated!_ ”

“Boy, you sure do have little faith in me.”

“I was _worried_ about you!”

That peculiar phrase made him pause. “ _Worried?_ ”

Of course he knew what the word meant, he could remember the feeling quite well. But Roxas couldn’t― _shouldn’t_ know it at all.

“We Nobodies don’t have the hearts for that,” he said slowly. Roxas stiffened, like he was trying to process the meaning of what he had said. Eventually, like he were coming out of a fog, the boy bobbed his head and met him eye for eye.

“I think Emryn told me about what worry was like, once. The idea of it must have just stuck with me or something.” Roxas shrugged, but his discomfort was still apparent. Brightening, the boy quickly changed the subject, excitedly adding, “I’ll go buy us some ice cream!”

Axel frowned as the boy ran past him. ‘ _That woman’s getting her hand into everything. What_ else _did she happen to tell Roxas about?’_

Within moments, Roxas had reappeared, a bag hanging from his wrist, and the two traveled towards the clock tower. Along the way his younger companion filled the silence with bits and pieces of information of the things that had occurred while he was away. Apparently during his absence someone had made a new friend.

“I’ve been having ice cream with Xion.” A big grin stretched across the boy’s face. “I told her that we could all have ice cream together when you got back.”

“Guess we’ll have to have a little party then.” Axel casually bumped into Roxas and the two laughed. The pleasantries died down though when he groaned. “It’ll have to be after I check in with the boss though. If I take any longer to make a report then he’s really gonna let me have it.”

The blond raised a brow. “You haven’t RTC’d yet?”

“Nah.” Axel waved his hand through the air like he was casually swatting at something. “I was at the castle for all of two seconds before coming out here. Needed a bit of time to sort out some thoughts, disrupt the monotony, y’know.”

“Yeah…,” A sort of faraway look manifested in those blue eyes. The reached the top of the clock tower, rounding the corner and hurrying to settle down on the ledge. Roxas pulled two frozen treats from the bag, handing one to Axel, before settling into a slouch and staring at the eternally setting sun.

Axel nibbled at his ice cream. The moment the vanilla and sea salt hit his tongue a familiar ease descended upon him. Taking a deep breath, the man leaned back and joined his friend in his silent vigil. Something about this simple piece of normalcy eased the pressure in his mind. The problems weren’t solved, but at least things weren’t nearly quite so complicated as they had been moments ago.

“Something…,” He looked away from the brightness before him when Roxas began to speak again. “Something about the air from higher up, it’s good for clearing out your head, right?”

Almost reflexively, he took another deep breath before nodding. “Yeah. Though it’s interesting you’d say something so profound. You been meditating a lot, oh wise guru?”

“I’ve had a couple months to myself,” the boy responded dryly.

Axel gave a soft ‘ _hmph’_ and turned away again. A couple months, huh? Seems he’s been gone a lot longer than he’d estimated. Time in Oblivion was even worse than time back at home base. It was like living in a never ending dream, or nightmare, depending on how one looked at it. At least with the Realm That Never Was then time could sync up with other worlds, but even that was an unreliable method of telling time if one never actually left the place.

“Hey Axel?” Roxas fidgeted nervously. He swung his feet back and forth, knocking them against the wall of the clock tower with an audible thump, chewing on the inside of his cheek. It almost gave him a constipated look.

“Yeah?”

“There’s, um, something I need to tell you.”

His brows furrowed. What was going on? Why’d Roxas look so… _guilty?_

“Do you remember that job you gave me before you left? The one concerning Emryn?”

It took him right up until the Oracle’s name was said before he figured out where this was going. “The babysitting job. Yeah, I remember. What about it?”

“Well, uh, you see, some things happened and uh… She um…”

“She got away.”

“She got awa― Wait, how’d you know?” A mixture of panic and confusion filled the kid’s voice. Roxas shifted, lifting one leg over the ledge and back onto solid ground, turning to completely face him.

Axel heaved a deep sigh. “Let’s just say we happened to run into each other. Several times.”

The kid took the information in stride with a couple rapid blinks. He opened his mouth, a question so obviously ready to be asked, and then clamped it shut again. With nothing particularly better to do, Roxas continued to eat his ice cream.

That didn’t mean he was going to hold in his own questions though.

“We may have had a few encounters and spent some rather unwanted quality time with one another, but I’m still in the dark about how she got there in the first place. Mind filling me in on that?”

That was apparently the wrong moment to ask that. Instead of chewing and then swallowing, the kid skipped the original steps and went straight to inhaling and choking. By the time Roxas had stopped hacking to death, he’d turned a shade of red so brilliant, he almost matched the sunset.

Axel reached over to try patting his friend’s back. “Yeesh. You gonna live?”

“Sorry,” Roxas wheezed. “That was just, um, yeah. She― I― It was an accident.”

“What? You inhaling your food? I would sure hope that was an accident.”

He shook his head. “No, not that. I meant Emryn escaping. We’d gone down to the city below the castle and she jumped through a mirror.”

“A mirror?”

“Yeah. Hey Axel, have you ever seen a mirror move on its own? The more I think about it, the more it seemed… I dunno, _alive._ It was weird.”

The man didn’t respond, his thoughts suddenly falling down a rabbit hole. Absently, he bit into his melting treat.

‘ _So she went through a mirror. Didn’t that crazy queen back in the strange version of Wonderland say something about traveling by mirror? Is that how she got here in the first place? What about other things that can create reflections? Are those viable modes of transportation too?’_ He sighed. ‘ _Once again, I’m forced to question what that woman_ can’t _do.’_

“Axel?”

Blinking, green eyes slid towards his companion. “Hmm? Sorry, was just thinking about something.”

Roxas leaned forward a little. “Have you then? Seen a moving mirror?”

He shrugged. “Can’t say I have.”

The boy slouched defeatedly. He twirled the stick of his mostly eaten snack between his fingers, frowning. “She thought she’d ruin everything, you know. But I keep thinking that if we could just convince her we could help her, then maybe she would come back and help us. And yet… I can’t get it out of my head just how sad she looked that I don’t know what to think, either.”

It was disconcerting seeing the boy look so troubled. So human. A shiver spidered down his spine. Not wanting to see such things like that any longer, Axel lightly punched the blond in the shoulder, gesturing towards the food in his hand.

“Eat your ice cream, before the rest of it melts.”

* * *

 

_\- Not an alternate self._

_\- Not a reincarnation._

_\- Not a Nobody._

_\- I’m me and she’s me, but I’m not her._

_\- In her reflection in a puddle, other people seemed to be looking back at me._

_\- I made a promise of some sort. When, I don’t know, but according to Dreamself then it ties into being this ‘Traveler’. There are many travelers. Or at least, there were, anyway. What happened to them, where they went, and why there seems to be no more is still unknown. Though I suspect it’s got something to do with how magic doesn’t really interact with my world anymore._

* * *

 

_The road I’ve been walking in these dreams is painfully empty. Unused, even. This strikes me as both odd and important._

_It’s on the tip of my tongue. Off the top of my head. There’s something familiar about the road in my dreams, I just know it. Both as something personal― though I’ve never seen the thing in my life, of that I’m certain of ―and as something almost story like. I feel like I’ve read about the damn thing before or something. Dreamself was saying that we’ve been in contact with magic before. That we’ve ‘danced with fairy tales’ or something like that._

_What if someone’s written about this road because it was something they’ve actually walked before? And what if I really have read about it? What if everything Dreamself has told me so far is actually connected to this little detail?_

* * *

 

_\- Words are tools. Tools with power. This is definitely what Dreamself was saying when she said my words were important. They seem to trigger chains that are in my heart. In my dreams, the chains are functional for fighting. Whether they can be used the same way in waking life is still to be discovered...._

* * *

 

 _There’s always this buzz in the air now. It’s subtle, low, almost like background static. Ever since I was revived with Cure― which is a form of pure magic, whereas a potion is concentrated and more sciency I guess ―I’ve just been aware of it. I think even before that, though, I’ve felt the difference. From the first time I heard the voice, went through the mirror, I’ve been feeling the magic that’s surrounded,_ **_existed_ ** _, in everything. And it’s why I’ve always felt off. Off balance. Off in an ill sort of way. And now that I am aware of it, it’s like I’m trapped, surrounded in every direction by an invisible pressure that’s only growing heavier little by little._

_Of course, that could just be my imagination. After all, Dreamself said the magic from the Cure was supposed to remake me so my body would accept the magic and not reject it._

_But there’s gotta be something more to this magic. There’s gotta be something more to me. But what? Bindings. Chains. Strange reflections and moving mirrors. Empty roads and creepy forests. And one forgotten promise._

_I think the only way I’m ever going to find out the answers to these questions is if I continue to walk the unused road._

* * *

 

Emryn flipped back and forth through her journal, tired eyes scanning and rescanning over old entries in hopes of finding the connecting dots. They were there somewhere, she knew it. But like every time before, she just couldn’t see it. Nevermind the fact that she couldn’t see much of jack squat without her glasses, but the dots just weren’t connecting for her.

She shut the book and let her head fall back and hit the frame of the wooden chair she sat in. Her eyes closed as another wave of exhaustion washed over her. Seldom had sleep visited her since the day Sora and the others had gone into hibernation. She suspected that part of it came from trying to figure out her own mystery, while the other part came from inhabiting a space that was stuck somewhere between the reality of Twilight Town and the uncanny timelessness of Castle Oblivion.

Being aware of that difference alone was a nightmare in and of itself. The pressure, the _buzzing―_ It was annoying as hell! But Em was the only one that noticed it. Probably because everyone else was already used to magic. They weren’t the freak of nature.

‘ _On that note…,’_ The young woman pushed the chair back and got up. ‘ _I guess it’s time to try summoning the weird heart chains again.’_

Every so often, since the moment they had appeared outside of a dream, Em had taken to trying to figure out how to make the strange chains materialize. It was a no dice kind of result every time though. No matter how much she analyzed her dream, or the memory of their first appearance, she just could figure out how to repeat the action.

She faced the wall. “Alright. I, uh, summon thee! Appear! Hit the wall! Something, anything!”

This process of throwing out random commands and pleas continued on for another few minutes before the young woman finally resigned herself to another defeat. As of now their appearances were apparently going to be wholly unintentional. Em sighed, wallowing in her cluelessness as she returned to her chair, drained.

A sharp pain cut through her chest, eliciting a heavy shudder. Just the same as she couldn’t seem to shake the background buzz in her mind, these new pains refused to fade. Cold fingers rubbed at the spot, the pain’s placement most concentrated where Larxene had stabbed her. Even though all the internal damage had been fixed, it seemed that the external part hadn’t been quite as lucky, leaving a scar for the savage woman to be remembered by. A small, knotted line which didn’t quite measure up to half a finger that, although healed shut, would never truly be fixed.

Mindlessly, her fingers moved on to toy with the hole in her tank top. There’d been no way she could have saved the blood soaked tunic, so it had been tossed. The under shirt was also crusty and gross, but since it was black then at least the stains were easily concealed.

Not for the first time, Emryn wished she had a spare set of clothes on hand. Much to her annoyance, she wasn’t allowed to actually go _get_ them.

‘ _It’s not like like I’m asking much,’_ she grumbled. ‘ _Like one lousy shopping trip would throw the stingy old man’s bogus plan off the rails. And I shouldn’t_ need _his permission to go anyway! He doesn’t own me. But he’s the one that’s got the actual currency I need to even_ buy _anything. Stupid bitter old man.’_

Emryn slumped in her seat while picking at her lips as she simmered in her bitter stew. Ever since she and DiZ had met they’d clashed on every and any matter they discussed. The fact that she was a pawn he’d never planned for made him hellbent on trying to manipulate her into his control, just so she wouldn’t get in his way. As a result, Em had made it her personal mission to be as much of a royal pain in the neck to him as she possibly could. For once, Emryn had no problem with letting someone know she was an uncannily informed person.

But it still left her out of a new pair of clothes.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache forming behind her eyes. What was she thinking? The thing she _really_ needed was a way _home_ . Even if at one point she’d written down thoughts of carrying out this insane, so called journey, there was no way she could actually go through with it. For crying out loud, she had already _died_. Whatever that promise had been, whenever it had been made, it wasn’t worth dying over and over again for.

‘ _If… If that’s even possible,’_ she thought with a shiver. Dreamself’s warning about her heart’s strength and fragility was like an ominous shadow chilling next to the annoying hum in the back of her mind. If she tested her so called luck one time too many, she might not be able to come back from it.

“Emryn?”

Her eyes fluttered open. For a moment the young woman did nothing but blink blearily at her surroundings, pointlessly waiting for them to come into focus. Em turned upon spying a flash of red in her peripheral.

“Hey Nam. What’s up?” She stretched out her hand and, without hesitating, the girl took it.

Naminé slid into the chair next to her, taking a seat at the head of the small table. She gently laid her sketchbook down beside Emryn’s abandoned journal as she fixed the older woman with a look. “Have you been able to figure anything else out? About your situation, I mean.”

Em was quiet. The last page she remembered turning to practically taunted her with its hastily scribbled words. After writing down everything she knew, her speculations, her questions, it all continued to remain senseless. Perhaps she was thinking too hard about it. Perhaps she wasn’t thinking hard enough. In the end, the fact that she hadn’t made any progress stung.

“I feel like a stranger to myself,” she murmured softly.

She felt those pretty blue eyes boring into her, knew that some pitious expression was being made, and it only made her feel worse.

“You haven’t been looking so good lately.” The girl quickly shifted topics, squeezing her hand. “It’s time you took a break. Maybe sleep a little. Riku should be back sometime soon, I could ask him to get something for you if you’d like.”

The thought of having to drink any potion that wasn’t Tylenol or NyQuil almost made her gag. ( _Not that those were actually any better._ )

“Thanks, really, but that’s not necessary. I’ll pass on anything super magic-y for now.” With her free hand Emryn grabbed her journal and put it away. “But a nap does sound pretty good. I feel a headache coming on because I haven’t been using my glasses.”

If only she could actually convince her brain to shut up long enough to, you know, _sleep_.

Naminé huffed and rested her chin on her hand. “I wish DiZ would just let you go out. He’s treating you like the suspicious one around here and it’s not fair.”

“Well, I mean, my being here wasn’t actually supposed to happen. Suffice to say, I really can’t complain all too much if anyone finds me questionable.” Em fell across the table, tucking her arm under her head as she continued. “That aside, _DiZ_ is just a lightless moth living in a wet sock. I was thinking of high jacking his funds and going on an adventure in Twilight Town. Wanna come? We could get you another dress.”

“That would not be a wise idea, Miss Chae.” A deep voice suddenly rumbled from behind her. Emryn shot upright, going rigid as a board within seconds. Her heart thudded painfully against her chest. The agitation came not from the fact that they had been caught talking about DiZ, but from the fact that he was even there at all in the first place. Last she had checked, the old man had holed himself up in his computer lab like he had no intention of coming out of it for another few days. She hadn’t even heard him come in!

“It was an _idea_. I never claimed it was supposed to be a wise one.” Her voice was filled with stone and ice when she responded. “And I don’t recall asking for your opinion on the matter either.”

“Be that as it may, it was my _‘funds’_ you were intending to pilfer, was it not? I believe that entitles me the right to express my displeasure on the matter,” was Diz’s equally cold answer.

Heavy tapping filled the air as the man walked around the table. He kept his hands behind his back and stood straight. To some he probably looked like a wise and mysterious master, capable of some unspeakable power and filled to the brim with all sorts of lore and fortune cookie-esque phrases; a respectable being that everyone should listen to. With an image like that, it was obvious how used to being in charge he was. But to Emryn, he just looked like he had a big stick up his ass.

“My decision on the matter is _final_ Miss Chae. With the Organization still on the loose out there we cannot risk loosing you into any world out of concern that they may take you back into their custody. If they were to find this place through you, then everything we are trying to achieve will all be for naught.

“I wouldn’t get caught,” the young woman tried to reason evenly. “And even if I did, I wouldn’t say anything about this place. I’m not stupid, nor am I a traitor!”

His lower lip curled unpleasantly. “That accounts for nothing with your _unintentionally_ loose lips.”

Emryn jumped out of her seat with every intention of throwing hands with the old man. “ _Excuse me?!”_

Naminé, who had remained quiet since DiZ had interrupted them, leapt to her feet and held her hands up on either side of her. “That’s enough! Both of you!”

The young woman looked away with a scowl, but DiZ’s attention was drawn towards the sharp tone in Naminé’s voice.

“DiZ, why not just let Emryn go get what she needs and be done with it? She isn’t asking for much, and surely you recognize she’s not going to let the topic go,” Naminé questioned, opting for the more diplomatic approach.

“You know as well as I do how often the Organization frequents the world of Twilight Town. It’s too dangerous to send someone there with so little experience in avoiding trouble.” Emryn forced herself to not roll her eyes at his response. Now she wished that no one had told him what all she contributed to the events of Castle Oblivion. He was never going to let her do anything at this rate!

“Hey, before I came even came here then I had no problem with avoiding trouble. It’s not my fault I was given the short stick of everything when I arrived,” she grumbled, tightly crossing her arms over her chest.

“The fact remains: Trouble will still find you, whether you seek it out or not, correct?”

Her head swiveled sharply as she turned to glare at him, gnashing her teeth, “Look man! I just want to get some new clothes and another pair of glasses. And before you suggest what I know you’re going to suggest, _no_ I do not want you to send Riku to get me everything. Just! Let me go!”

The buzzing, which had been so quiet in all of her seething rage, abruptly increased with the pitch of her voice, drowning out everything else for one brief moment. In that moment, everything shifted. Her perspective went from a blurry frustration to a sudden clarity of hyper awareness, as if a new set of lenses had been placed over her eyes.

She watched as DiZ paused, his neutral expression of displeasure deepening with a frown. The old man went silent as the cogs in his dusty machine churned away.

The buzzing faded until it was nothing more than a low, irritating hum, and the old man opened his mouth once again.

“You may go.”

Em blinked. “What?”

An irked look creased the visible parts of his face. “You. May. _Go._ ” he repeated slowly.

Her jaw tightened with a twitch. What the hell was his problem? One second he was refusing her point blank, and now all of a sudden he was just gonna cave in?

“I cannot keep you from pursuing this outcome, it seems, though I do not relish the thought of letting you loose in the world.” Emryn couldn’t restrain herself anymore as she rolled her eyes. Talk about over dramatic.

DiZ reached into some hidden pocket and withdrew a small bag that clicked with every shift. Em barely managed to catch it as it was thrown at her. “Riku should return any moment now. He will show you the way out. You have one hour.”

The old man swiftly turned on his heel and made for the exit. Emryn stared at the spot he had just vacated, eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar, before looking down at the little drawstring bag in her hand. Unable to comprehend what just went down quite yet, her hand went into autopilot mode; fingers wiggled methodically to shift the contents inside, causing little clicks and clacks to fill the air. The contents of the bag were mostly orb like, quite similar to marbles, with a few larger pieces feeling like diamonds. It helped her wrap her mind around what happened, but only just a little.

“You did it again,” Naminé breathed. The soft words drew the young woman from her stupor, and she turned towards the girl, dumbfounded.

“Did what again?”

“You used magic to change the state of mind in someone else.” She ran a delicate hand over her sketchbook. “The charge in the air, the odd rush of sensations that overcome me while in your presence― it’s every bit the same as when you broke through one of my illusions that trapped Sora.”

Her brows furrowed with a frown. “Wait, I did what now? I don’t even remember…”

“It was when Larxene was pushing for Sora to _‘remember’_ me through my charm. You told him to see through the illusion, and even though he couldn’t hear you, he did as you said. By changing the state of his mind you broke my magic, my false chains.”

Her mind whirled as the memory of the event Naminé spoke of returned to her in bits and pieces. She had been so focused and frustrated that she hadn’t noticed any change. And after venting, she had felt rather ill. Em had just chalked it up to the stress of the situation, but with Naminé’s explanation, the little details made sense.

An idea popped into her head, causing her to quickly go digging in her bag. She pulled out her journal and pen, hastily flipping through pages to find the right one. There wasn’t enough room to write on the lines, so she scribbled in the margins.

_Possible trigger for commands: Strong intentions and or emotions. This could not only bring out the chains, but change the state of a mind. Like a sort of manipulation, perhaps._

The door creaked open, followed by the softest tread of footsteps she had ever heard a teenage boy make. The girls turned in their seats to greet the new arrival.

Riku came to an awkward halt a few feet away from the table. He shuffled in place, uncertain of what exactly he was supposed to do, or how to conduct himself in front of an audience that consisted of more than one person anymore. Even though they had come into contact frequently enough in between his missions― consisting of what, not even she fully knew ―they were practically strangers. Befriending this Riku was somehow more difficult than befriending his hormonal replica.

“DiZ said you were going out.” Her ears pricked slightly at the tone laced beneath his neutral voice. Was that curiosity, or suspicion?

“Yep. Gonna go shopping and all that jazz.” Em stood up, slinging the strap of her bag over her head. Hurriedly, she grabbed her journal and the small sack of allowance she’d been given. As she shoved things in the bag, the corners of a black wallet caught her eye, and the odd lumpy weight in her hand became more prominent.

“Frick! Riku,” the boy jumped as she turned to him in a frenzy. “Teach me how to munny instead of money!”

 _“What?”_ The strange tenor his voice had taken on, coupled with the incredulous bug-eyed expression he made wasn’t enough to break her serious demeanor, but it did cause Naminé to burst into uncontrollable giggles.

Em grabbed the wallet out of the bag and pulled out a couple euros and held them up in comparison to the bag full of marbles.

“How do I munny instead of money?!” she repeated, holding each item up in alternating patterns. It was terribly inconvenient how similar the two words sounded. One would think her for an idiot if she didn’t have something to show for it.

“You really aren’t from around here,” Naminé said through fits of laughter.

Emryn turned to her. “Was there ever really any doubt?”

The girl shook her head with a crooked smile. “Definitely not. But that doesn’t stop the little things like this from making the fact funnier.”

Riku stepped closer to Emryn while she was distracted and quietly slipped a few bills out of her hand. He gave the colored paper a curious once over, flipping it from one side to the other in his examination.

“I think you’ll need to teach me your munny before I can teach you mine.” He handed it back to her, the corners of his mouth twitching up ever so slightly. “But we’ll have to cover that on the way out. From what I understand, you haven’t been given much time to, well, take your time.”

A sullen frown threatened to overtake her face as she thought about it. She had actually been hoping to get a chance to actually look around Twilight Town. But it seemed that fate ( _also known as a crotchety old man_ ) did not want to be kind to her. Alas, perhaps another time.

“Oh, Emryn,” Naminé pushed herself out of her seat, hurriedly shrugging out of the red coat. “You probably want this back now.”

She stared at the deep red fabric, hand twitching at her side to take it back. Certainly, that coat would come in handy for hiding the disaster that was currently known as her shirt, but… It didn’t really seem like it was her jacket anymore. She’d given it to the girl to comfort and keep her from being cold in such an unforgiving environment. And though she was certain things were going to be better for the girl now more than ever, she didn’t want to take back what was now such a big piece of who Naminé was.

Emryn waved the offered item away with a half smile. “It’s yours now. Gotta keep yourself warm when you’ve got a frosty old man for a house mate. Besides, I think it’s time I changed my style, y’know?”

“Ay ay captain.” Naminé raised her hand in a mock salute. Em repeated the gesture as she waltzed towards Riku, who was now waiting by the door. “And Emryn?”

An uncertain look flashed across the girl’s face. It faded as her lips quirked up in a small smile.

“Safe travels.”

It was a warm wish, yet Emryn couldn’t shake the feeling that it was actually a farewell. One goodbye, and that was all it took for the unease to settle within. She maintained her smile as best as she could, but the moment her back was turned her lips pressed together in a tight line.

* * *

 

“Oookay, so the little spheres are the change. Ten, five, and one…,” Emryn mumbled to herself as she shuffled down the paved street, examining the various pieces of munny she possessed. She pushed the smallest pieces, little yellow orbs, together. “And then this one’s a fifty and that one’s a hundred.”

She added a regular green orb, half the size of a regular marble, and an actual marble with green and purple accents into the pile.

“And this little bad boy is worth five hundred.” Finally, she held up a rhomboid gem, the twilight catching the purple within the gold and lighting it up in a brilliant blaze.

While understanding what each piece was worth, Em wasn’t particularly thrilled at the prospect of figuring out the final total of her future purchases. With her own currency, it was fairly easy to calculate or estimate, because it had been drilled into her since they started teaching her how to count. But this currency wasn’t _hers_. It was going to take a while to get used to.

And so was the task of finding her way through Twilight Town while practically blind.

Em suppressed a sigh, pocketing the munny she had been studying, and began squinting at her surroundings. Blur aside, she was, to put it bluntly, lost.

“Yeesh. If I had problems finding my way around this place as Roxas, I’m screwed as myself,” she muttered. “Now if I was a place that sold glasses, where would I be?”

Trudging forward, the young woman stopped by every building that even remotely appeared to be a store, peering through windows and squinting at every sign before sighing in defeat when it proved to be of no use to her. She tried to pop her head into a few places and ask for directions, but no matter how helpful a clerk was, or how detailed the directions were, it didn’t make up for the double whammy that was her visually impaired and directionally challenged self.

Emryn slumped against a wall in defeat after wasting about ten minutes trying to figure out where to go. It seemed she was just gonna have to accept the fact that she was most likely gonna have to ask Riku to go and get the glasses for her. If it weren’t for the notion of doing so perpetuating the idea that she was submitting to what DiZ wanted in the first place, then it honestly wouldn’t have bothered her so much to ask him to do so. Be that as it were, she’d rather choke before letting DiZ think he had any sway over her.

She contemplated heading back the way she had come, recalling that there was a clothes store somewhere back there, when a sharp voice startled her.

“Who are _you?_ ”

Em jumped away from the wall and came face to face with one irritated looking punk. Crossing his arms tightly over his chest, tilting his head back so his chin was in the air and his glare was looking down on her― this kid definitely had some superiority issues coupled with a strong need to curb his aggressive stance. One would almost think she’d just kicked his dog or something. Behind him were three other kids; another boy who looked to be more brawn than brains, a silver haired girl, and a… What exactly was the third kid? A gremlin in a wizard hat?

Regardless, this wasn’t the particular group of kids she’d have preferred to run into while here, if at all.

“ _Hell-o?_ You got a frog in your mouth or somethin’? I asked you a question.” Seifer’s scowl was difficult to miss, even without her glasses.

Grey eyes flicked apprehensively from kid to kid. “Name’s Emryn. And if you don’t mind, I’d like to know why I’m suddenly being interrogated.”

From what she remembered, this group was some sort of self-appointed defense squad of the town. Seifer in particular didn’t really like strangers, but overall, they were a harmless group. Still, it did nothing to ease her current situation.

“Where are you from, _Emryn?_ ” She resisted the urge to make a face. The way he said that was _way_ too similar to the Jake from Statefarm lady.

Casually, she shifted the strap of her bag to cover the hole in her shirt. If he already found her suspicious as it was, then she wasn’t too keen on adding to that just because of the way her clothes were messed up.

“Anybody ever tell you that it’s rude to answer a question with another question?” she shot back. Seifer clicked his tongue. Her head tilted as a small smirk toyed with the corners of her mouth. Perhaps she could have a little fun and get what she needed out of this.

“Listen kid, I’ll cut you a deal. You take me to a store that sells glasses and let me buy some clothes while I’m at it, and I’ll answer whatever questions you deem necessary for you and your little inquisition squad’s needs. Sound good?”

Seifer took half a step back. Was it from surprise because of her compliance, or irritation that he wasn’t the one with the control in this situation? Emryn wasn’t entirely sure, both being incredibly unfamiliar with the boy’s character as well as uncertain if her words were… _affecting_ him in any way. She’d rather avoid using anymore magic for the time being, especially on kids who hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Tch.” Seifer unfolded his arms, stuffing them into his pockets, and began to walk away. “This way.”

Emryn blinked stupidly as he, then the tall kid, and then the silver haired girl passed her. Just as the kid with the wizard hat was about to pass her by, she snapped out of it, quickly falling into step with the group.

“The name’s Seifer. This is Rai, Fuu, and Vivi.” He jerked a thumb at each person. Emryn nodded to each of them. “So back to my last question: Where are you from? I’ve never seen you around here, and anybody that’s anyone knows everyone in this town.”

The boy tossed his head over his shoulder as he spoke. If it weren’t for the way he kept deepening his voice to make it sound gruffer, then Emryn might have actually taken him a bit more seriously. As it were, she almost chuckled out loud. His attempts at pretending he was a cool adult sucked. It was so normal to her that she couldn’t help but relax around these kids.

“I’m not from anywhere, I suppose,” she finally answered, more honestly than even she was expecting. Certainly, her world was her home, but no one here was even aware of its existence. For a moment, Em wondered if her world even had a name to go by.

The girl beside her, Fuu, scoffed. “Everyone’s from somewhere lady. You can’t just be from nowhere.”

She shrugged. “I’m just a traveler. If I can’t be from nowhere, then I guess you could say I’m from a little bit of everywhere then.”

Referring to herself as a traveler sent a shiver tingling down her spine. It was like saying it out loud, admitting to it, made the fact final, like a key piece falling into place. Whether that was a good thing or not, Emryn didn’t know.

She shook the disconcerting thoughts away. Dreamself was really starting to rub off on her too much if she was starting to think like this.

“If you’re a traveler, why do you look so under equipped for traveling?” Her attention went back to Seifer, the tone of his question very close to mocking her again. Em rolled her eyes. God, this kid was a royal brat.

“Let’s just say that prior to coming here I wasn’t notified I was going on a journey of any kind.”

Rai’s thick brows furrowed and he gave her the most clueless expression ever. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

An image of Dreamself’s smug face ( _which was unfortunately also her face)_ popped into her head and she scowled. “It means that someone thought it was funny to toss me into the middle of a big plot and tell me to figure everything out myself.”

“Are you perhaps a wandering wizard receiving quests from the universe?!” a high pitched voice suddenly squeaked. Everyone looked down at the littlest member. Vivi bounced up and down from one leg to the other, his yellow eyes practically sparkling from beneath the brim of his oversized hat.

“Uh… I don’t _think_ … so?” She struggled to come up with an answer. More to herself, she added, “At least, I haven’t thought of it that way before?”

“It’s just like in the stories I read! Wizards are always going on unexpected journeys that the universe prompts them to go on. Whether it’s through a spark of inspiration or their dreams or a prophecy, they follow the universe and go on fantastical adventures!”

Her mind was reeling. Why did that sound _exactly_ like what she was dealing with? Did this have something to do with Dreamself? Or perhaps even previous Travelers?

Rai was getting excited now too. “Whoa! Are you really a wizard? Can you, like, do magic and stuff?”

“Please, those are just stories. Everyone knows that fiction doesn’t equal reality.” Despite her standoffish attitude, even Fuu had a curious gleam in her crimson eye.

Before any more questions could be piled onto her, Seifer loudly brought everyone to a halt.

“We’re here.”

Emryn sighed inwardly. If that had gone on any longer then she wouldn’t have been able to answer anything. In all technicalities, she guessed she was magical, but doing it on command or even _well?_ Absolutely not. Claiming she was a wizard would have been too far fetched, and would have led to more questions she knew she didn’t have the answers for.

The kids stayed outside while she slipped into the shop. It was a quaint little space, which meant that there also wouldn’t be much for her to choose from. Waving to the woman that greeted her at the cash register, Em wound her way around the few displays and examined all the frames. Eventually, she settled on a pair of glasses similar to her old ones, but darker and would wind around her ears more and _stay_ in the event that she was wildly tossed into anymore dark corridors.

She went to the counter and explained her prescription to the woman, before pulling out the bag of marbles to pay.

“I should have those ready in the next twenty or so minutes, don’t you worry dear,” the woman explained kindly as she counted out the money. “You just go have fun exploring the area with those kids.”

Emryn breathed deeply, relieved. “Thank you so much. I’ll be back to pick these up soon then.”

The two nodded happily to one another, and Em walked out the store with a little bounce to her step. _Finally!_ She’d be able to _see!_

As soon as she stepped outside the store then everyone jumped to attention. The kids gathered around her, now a lot more relaxed than when they had initially met. They sheparded her across the street and towards another store, and this time, everyone went in.

Em looked around, finding the place filled with racks of clothing, before turning towards Seifer with a raised brow. The boy just shrugged with forced nonchalant, saying, “I just need a new hat.”

“I wanted to look at their vests,” was Fuu’s addition.

“New shirts!” said Rai at the same time Vivi exclaimed, “Jackets!”

Both eyebrows rose, and she shook her head in disbelief, chuckling. Whatever the consensus was that they had come to in regards to her, it was certainly yielding interesting results. She couldn’t tell if they had decided that they liked her, or if they were still suspicious of her. Either way, their attempt at subtlety was awful enough to be hilarious.

Leaving the kids to their own so called shopping, Em began to peruse the aisles of clothes for her own needs. Though after deciding she didn’t really have that much time for leisure browsing, she decided to just grab the first few things that caught her eye. It would have to do for the time being, but perhaps later she could convince DiZ to let her out again later.

A couple minutes later, she had grabbed a pair of baggy capris, a light beige long sleeved shirt, and a large, black, sleeveless cardigan. She hurried to purchase the clothes before running off to a changing room to discard the old clothing for the new.

‘ _Now all that’s left is to pick up my glasses.’_

Glancing out the window, Emryn noticed the streets had gotten a lot more crowded than when she’d first come in. An intense amount of dread filtered through her as she took note of what the crowd mostly consisted of.

‘ _The only time I ever seem to see such large crowds of women are at celebrity events. This is like some kind of fan mob.’_ She shuddered at the thought. ‘ _And there’s only one guy around here that could possibly attract a mob like that.’_

“Aw crap.” She turned as Seifer materialized at her side. He gave her a calculative side eye before looking out into the street. “Not this guy again.”

Em crossed her arms over her chest. “Lemme guess, the crowd’s for an idol that’s not all that great, right?”

“Basically.”

“Setzer’s got an ego that keeps getting bigger than his brain; we call him balloon head because of it. The only way to tolerate him is to avoid him,” said Fuu.

“Then my interest has suddenly reached an all time low. Now how are we getting through that crowd?”

Taking the lead, Seifer left the shop and began to head across the street. While everyone else was more used to pushing their way through these kinds of crowds, Em couldn’t stop herself from apologizing and mumbling quick little ‘ _excuse me’s_ ’ to the people they passed. But even pushing only got them so far so fast.

Em looked around, trying to gauge how far away from the store they were, and where they were in position to Setzer, who she hadn’t seen just yet. Doing that had been a mistake.

Setzer was probably an attractive man by the people of Twilight Town’s standards, but thanks to her lack of twenty-twenty sight, she couldn’t exactly say she agreed with them. Her memory of the man’s appearance wasn’t exact, either, but she distinctly recalled thinking that his appearance was similar to Xemnas’s, but with more emotion and an unbearably narcissistic ego. And if Emryn knew herself at all, a guy with those qualities was the last kind of person she wanted to interact with.

Alarm bells began ringing in her head as she looked around and spotted the man in question. Difficult as it was to tell, she was certain he’d caught her looking, and the ringing turned to full on blaring as he began to maneuver his way through the crowd. Coming _towards_ them.

“Uh, Seifer,” she rapidly tapped on the boy’s shoulder. “Move faster.”

“I’m going as fast as I can lady! Don’t nag me!”

“I’ve got a very good reason for nagging! Now! Move!”

She placed her hands on his shoulders and began to shove him. Stumbling, Seifer clumsily cleared the way forward while griping, “What the frick are you― I can walk on my― Will you _stop it?!”_

“Setzer’s heading right for us and if you don’t start moving faster yourself then I’m gonna keep doing it for you!”

His demeanor shifted immediately, falling into determined bulldozer mode. He pushed past people without so much as a second glance, giving the crowd around them the heads up that they needed to move or he’d move them himself with just a look. Within minutes, they had reached the other store, and had hurried themselves inside.

“Oh, you’re back early dear.” The shopkeeper looked up in surprise, putting down her magazine.

“Yeah, sorry about that ma’am.” She glanced over her shoulder as she spoke. “Is there a chance that you could get me those glasses sooner? I’m actually a lot more crunched for time than I originally thought.”

 _‘And desperate to avoid yet another man that’s full of himself,’_ she silently added.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

The woman disappeared, and a collective sigh ran around the group. Their relief became short lived, though, as the bell to the shop chimed cheerfully at the new arrival.

“Don’t turn around now,” Fuu muttered, “but it seems that the balloon head really was following us.”

Emryn knew she shouldn’t have, but she turned around anyway.

Setzer stood in the entryway of the shop, lazily throwing his head from side to side in observance of his surroundings. He stopped, and somehow she just knew his gaze had fallen squarely upon her. A smile that surely would have been dazzling, if she could have seen it, flashed across his face. Behind her, everyone gagged.

“Now here’s a pretty face I’ve never seen before. And I know every lovely face here in Twilight Town.” Emryn couldn’t even begin to describe how his voice made her feel. His tone was warm, yet she hardly would have classified it as comfortable, and beneath each word was a sultry inflection. Listening to him sickened her more than downing a single potion ever could have.

“Well, if you had seen my face before, I’d be concerned,” she responded rather rigidly. “I’m just someone passing through here.”

His beaming smile grew wider at the news, though his selective hearing seemed to have missed the first thing she’d said. “Then perhaps you’d allow me the honor to show you around? It’s not everyday I get to show a beautiful stranger the wonders of my home.”

“She’s already got a guide,” Seifer snapped. “Why don’t you just go back outside and entertain your groupies some more, huh?”

He was close enough now that she could see his eyes flicker towards the kids behind her, as if he just noticed they were there. Setzer scoffed, chuckling at the boy like he were some cute little kid that was just jealous.

“Why don’t you kids run along and let the adults talk.” He turned away from them and flashed Emryn another smile. “You don’t mind if I take over, right? After all, you’d surely rather be in the company of a man like myself over these children.”

Fuu and Rai were glowering as they held Seifer back, and even Vivi was bristling at the pompous prat. Em thought she tasted bile; just listening to him was making her ill! Her hands curled tightly into little balls, the familiar bite of her nails digging into her skin the only thing keeping her from completely losing it and just outright _decking_ the man in front of her.

“What a generous offer for you to make.” God, it had never hurt so much just to force even the tiniest twitch of a smile onto her face. “But I’m afraid I’ll have to decline. You see, I prefer my company to possess a certain level of intellect, and I’m afraid I can’t really see you meeting my expectations, Mr…”

She raised an eyebrow, watching as his own smile became forced. “Setzer.”

It was impossible to tell what irritated him more. The fact that he’d had to introduce himself in such an unflattering way, or the fact that she’d insulted his intelligence? ( _Or had he even caught onto that part yet? The thought almost made her laugh.)_

The shopkeeper appeared at the counter with a hum, holding out a case. “Alrighty deary! There’s that for you. Let me know if they need to be tightened.”

Emryn spun away from the miffed man, giving the woman a genuine smile. She took the case and put on the glasses, blinking as everything suddenly came into focus. _Finally!_ She could see again!

“Thank you so much ma’am. You’re a lifesaver!” Spinning on her heel again, Emryn bounced closer to the kids. “And thanks to you guys too. I honestly wouldn’t have found this place if you hadn’t of helped me out.”

Setzer cleared his throat. She felt her eye twitch, and she resisted the urge to groan. Slowly, she turned to face him. “Oh. You’re still here. Is there something you needed from me, or can I go now?”

The corners of his mouth twitched downwards. Now that she could see him in full resolution, he was a fairly attractive man. Smooth, tanned skin, shiny white hair, gleaming violet eyes. The only shame was that his expensive apparel was garrish to look at in contrast to the shop’s quaint setting. _And_ he still reminded her of Xemnas just hair too much for comfort. Bastards that possessed other people’s bodies was always such a huge turn off for her.

“Perhaps, now that you can see clearly, you could take another look at me and see if I truly don’t live up to your expectations.”

Without even doing a once over, she said, “All I can see is that you were less dislikable without my glasses.”

Her brow quirked with satisfaction as his mouth fell. Smirking, the young woman pushed past him, leaving the shop with a large grin plastered on her face. Laughter bubbled from her chest.

“You didn’t have to scalp him like that, but at the same time, that was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life!” Seifer howled, hopping onto the pavement beside her. “It’s about time someone kicked that ass off his pedestal.”

A giggly chorus of agreement followed, and Seifer eyed her carefully. For a minute he kept his mouth shut, deliberating. Around him everyone gave subtle nods. Finally he just shrugged, putting on an indifferent air and jutting out his chin.

“You’re not all that bad, I’ll give you that. Anyone that can shut Setzer down like that is worth their weight in munny, so why don’t you stick around a while and we’ll give ya a real treat.”

“Wish I could take you up on that offer,” she shook her head, snorting, “but I really do have to get going. Don’t worry though. I’ll be putting that offer on your tab, so plan on seeing me around again and collecting it.”

“You sure you can find your way out of the town? You were pretty hopeless when we found you.” Fuu crossed her arms, giving a rather pointed look.

“Ouch.” Em feigned offense. “One minute you guys think I’m cool, then next you’re calling me hopeless? Rude.”

“The truth hurts, doesn’t it?”

She grinned, the pleasant banter warming her up. These kids really weren’t so bad after all. Em waved, not quite turning her back on them as she began to walk away.

“Don’t be a stranger, ya hear?” Seifer yelled.

“Like you’d let me!”

“Hey Emryn!” Vivi jumped up and down as he waved vigorously to her. “Safe travels!”

Her feet nearly faltered. There it was again. A farewell that left her reeling. A goodbye that seemed far more knowing that she herself was. It sent chills down her spine.

With a final wave, Emryn finally looked away. The young woman walked towards the walls of which bordered the forest. Even amidst the bustling streets, which slowly thinned the further she walked, everything was muted in her spinning mind. She couldn’t get the idea out of her mind now; her journey wasn’t going to lead her back to the white halls of Castle Oblivion.

“What a heartfelt departure.” A sneer broke her concentration, making her jump and glance at a nearby alley way. She knew that voice.

From the shadows a figure emerged. Emryn took a step back as Axel took a step forward.

“You could say I was almost touched by how chummy you all were.”

Grey eyes flickered desperately from side to side, body tensing to run. “How’d you find me?”

“What, no hello, nice to see you?” He paused for a response he knew was never coming. Then, more lightly, he answered, “You can see a lot from up on high.”

‘ _The clock tower,’_ she realized belatedly. ‘ _He must have damn good eyesight though.’_

“So what now?” she asked. “You gonna take me back to the Organization or just say hello? Please say it’s the latter, ‘cuz the former isn’t gonna be fun for either of us.”

Axel shrugged, giving her a mock sympathetic look as he shook his head. “Oh we can have plenty of fun if you make things easy. But even if you don’t, I’ll have enough fun for the both of us. It’s all about perspective, Miss Trouble.”

He took another step forward.

“I agree. It is all about perspective. But have you considered: Maybe your perspective just _really sucks._ ” Her voice pitched awkwardly, and without waiting for a response, she bolted to her right.

Portals opened all around, releasing the wiry frames of several Nobodies at once. Emryn swerved around their writhing forms with reckless abandon. She crashed into a wall, shoulder taking the brunt of the impact, and a sharp, hissing cry filled the air. Doing her best to ignore the pain, Emryn clutched her arm and _ran._

‘ _Where can I run to?’_ came the frantic thought. ‘ _I can’t go back! He’ll follow me! And then everything would be ruined, and DiZ will have been_ right _about me!’_

The mere idea of DiZ having anything on her was infuriating. There was no way she was going to doom everyone and everything because she couldn’t throw one obnoxiously persistent redhead off her trail! She _refused_ to be the reason things got worse again.

Taking a left, Em found herself in a much quieter sector of Twilight Town. Glancing around as she ran, she noted that most of the buildings were older, more compact and not nearly as lively as the area she’d just left. Perhaps she could hide somewhere around here.

An store that sold antiques caught her eye. Just from looking in the window, seeing how cramped everything was in there, Emryn knew there’d be plenty of places she could tuck herself away inside.

Doubling back on herself, Em stumbled into the store. Panting, she was finally able to slow down and really look around. As quietly as she could, the young woman wound her way around ancient pieces of furniture and dusty knick knacks, past creepy old toys and moth eaten clothes adorning frightening mannequins. The gloom of the room only made everything worse, and she shuddered.

Eventually, she found herself at the back of the store. Most of the back wall was covered in empty frames. Some were gilded, others just regular wood. But a the ones with coverings were not empty. Something glimmered in the dull light beneath one of them. Emryn reached for it. Was that…?

“You know, for some reason I was expecting more out of this.” She whirled around. Axel leaned against a wooden dresser, pursing his lips in disappointment. “I just thought that after all that fight you put up in the past, you’d be just as difficult now. Guess I set the bar too high.”

Em inched back, blindly latching on to the dirty covering. “You really think you’ve got me?”

She yanked at the cloth, sending plumes of fabric and dust into the air. Green met grey between the fluttering material, and for a moment the world slowed down as the two stared at one another, defiant and awed. Emryn took another step back with outstretched arms.

“Think again.”

The glass was cool as she fell into it and shivers caressed her body. Ripples fluctuated in her peripheral, overlapping her vision when her head submerged completely into the mirror. For a split second she saw Axel, tense and frozen as he watched the mirror absorb her, and then the world was _gone_. She was yanked back, spinning hazardously over herself in the liminal void as she had come to expect from prior experience.

Everything was the same, but the buzzing― the buzzing she had managed to forget ―had _grown_. If Emryn screamed, she didn’t hear it. Everything in her body felt ready to implode; her limbs were pulled every which way, her heart hammered relentlessly with a fearful fire, all while her head was stabbed repeatedly with a sound she could not drown out. She was stretched and compressed like taffy, until, finally, she was spat out.

Emryn wheezed and curled in on herself. Everything prickled within; the world was suddenly too big and she too small. She looked at the mirror, now large as life, and blinked rapidly. A tiny gasp echoed in the air when she read the golden words floating on the surface.

_Welcome to Devil’s Bayou_


	12. In the Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which sleeping things begin to stir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scribe's Guide to Foreign Idioms/Phrases:  
> “another day spent with lobsters in winter.” - a twist on the russian idiom “I will show you where the lobsters spend the winter.” The original is meant more as a threat, but Alec uses it more as a result of action rather than the implication of one.
> 
> “Chas ot chasu” - “from one hour to the next”, a sarcastic phrase meaning “this keeps getting better and better.”
> 
> “shove everything under his collar.” - another twist on an idiom “Shove it under the collar.” basically meaning “to get really drunk”.
> 
> “Clean the tomatoes out of your eyes…” - (can you tell I love playing with idioms?) this one is part of the German idiom “Tomaten auf den Augen haben” which literally means “to have tomatoes in one’s eyes”, aka, “you’re oblivious (to your surroundings)”.

There was always a deep and terrible darkness lurking around. It lingered there, just at the edge of his vision, never fully out of sight. It was in every breath he took, beneath every thought he had. There were whispers in his mind that didn’t belong to him and warped faces in his dreams at night. Like traveling fingers of a sultry mistress running down his spine, it beckoned him to a bed of foul desires and impure deeds.

The darkness was always there, and it called to him every hour of every day. It called to him, and sometimes, he considered calling back.

That temptation terrified him more than anything the darkness used to haunt him.

Alec stared at his hands. He slowly forced his fingers to curl into a tight ball, making bones and veins pop against his skin. It only helped to ease their tremoring by a margin. He couldn’t tell the difference between what was him and what was the bus as it rattled down an uneven dirt road. All that really occurred to him was that it was annoying.

From the moment he’d woken up, Alec knew that today was going to be worse than usual. It started with the heavy ache in his chest, and when he opened his eyes, everything had been sucked dry of its color. A desaturated world was a hellish one.

The bus jostled again. As if it had knocked something loose in his chest, an itch began to form, starting in the center and rapidly moving on to consume his throat. He cleared his throat once, twice. The aggressive rumbling only seemed to make it worse, yet he didn’t want to cough. If he started coughing, he knew he wouldn’t stop.

‘ _ Can’t cough. Can’t breathe. Can’t breathe then I’ll cough. But if I cough then I won’t be able to breathe. A stupid cycle that’ll bother me just as much as it’ll bother everyone else.’ _

He took a deep breath and then tried to clear his throat one more time. This time the itching receded. 

Alec swallowed, wishing he could ignore the way his throat felt like sandpaper scraping against a rock as it bobbed. The back of his head hit the seat, lolling with each bump the bus hit, and closed his eyes. He couldn’t decide if the movements of the rickety old bus weas just right for nodding off or if it was going to give him a damn migraine. Though he knew he shouldn’t have, Alec began to gnaw on the inside of his cheek, purposefully biting harder with every bump they hit.

If he could just remain grounded long enough to get to the next stop, he’d be okay. Once he could get off the bus and stretch his leg, he’d be fine. 

Okay and fine. Two of his most favorite words to use just short of frequent apologies. Despite how much he used them though, they were the furthest things he could ever apply to himself. If there was one thing Alec knew about himself, it’s that he was never just  _ “okay”  _ or “ _ fine” _ . And he probably never would be.

‘ _ No. That’s not right,’ _ he tried to counter himself. ‘ _ I’ll never get better if I don’t believe I can. Remember what Dr. Ignatiev said: My thoughts don’t have to be in my control, but neither should they have control over me. My thoughts don’t have to be in my control, but neither should they have control over me. My thoughts…’ _

While he thought his mantra-like prayer his knee began to bounce. At first it was just in time to his words, but gradually it gained momentum, until it was bouncing almost as rapidly and chaotically as the bus itself. It only further solidified the idea that today was going to be another day spent with lobsters in winter.

‘ _ Chas ot chasu…’ _

His head fell to the side, a tired, sullen gaze glaring back at him from the window. On the outside dead foliage flickered by in a blur. His eyes narrowed, trying to keep up with the passing scenery to no avail. All the good he awarded himself with was an ever increasing migraine. Attention wavering, Alec stared at the thin, transparent layer that lay between him and the outside world, reflection slowly blinking back at him as he did so.

Churlish eyes flicked and twitched at every detail with disdain and suspicion. A part of Alec knew that it wasn’t good to look at things like that, to look like that himself. Feeling horrible and distrustful of himself and his surroundings wasn’t going to help him at all. But another part of Alec was content to sulk in this rotten mood. Nothing was more comfortable than that which was already familiar, after all.

Hazily, Alec began to fall into a pattern with his reflection. First he would blink, and his reflection would blink back. Blond lashes would flutter over hazel on bloodshot, but white, eyes. When he started, his gaze would be pointed to the right, and when his eyes opened again, they’d be pointed towards the left. Back and forth, back and forth he’d continue the odd little game he’d created. It soothed his irritated self in an almost meditative sort of way, making him drowsy.

_ Blink. _

Hazel on white. Left.

_ Blink. _

Hazel on white. Right.

_ Blink. _

Gold on black. Center.

Alec jolted, his grip turning vise like on the arm rests. All normal functions ceased to operate as everything went on the fritz. He didn’t so much as even  _ breathe _ while forcing his attention anywhere but his reflection; those eyes were seared into his mind no matter what, though. If only it was merely a case of sensory overload that plagued him today! 

Once he started seeing things like he were living out some horror movie there would be nothing to stop him from slipping over the edge. He licked his lips, suddenly wishing he could shove everything under his collar. 

_ ‘No!’ _ he almost physically recoiled at the intruding desire.  _ ‘I can’t drink. I can’t smoke! Those are the rules. I cannot―  _ will not  _ ―break them!’ _

There was too much riding on him during this trip. If he couldn’t make any progress with overcoming his weaknesses, then he’d be disappointing so many people. His parents, Dr. Ignatiev, Cho,  _ himself. _ To fail himself, the one who so desperately needed to see the light at the end of this long, dismal tunnel― The mere thought threatened to smother him under the pressure.

Something cool touched his ear, bringing a rush of sound with it that startled him greatly. 

“Easy tiger.” Cho’s voice carried a teasing lilt as she chuckled. Alec blinked rapidly, shifting in his seat to look at her; the grip he possessed on the armrests did not loosen. “Sorry for startling ya, but you were so zoned that I couldn’t get your attention otherwise.”

Alec took a deep breath and gulped. A monkey like grin split across Cho’s round face as she offered him the little white earpiece. The devious little curve of her lips reminded him of a Capuchin, seemingly harmless until you looked into their eyes and met with the troublemaker. But when he raised his eyes to meet hers, there was only a sunny sort of gentleness in her brown eyes. His face twitched in what he hoped was a mimic of her smile, but he was certain it somehow fell flat.

Still, Cho’s grin didn’t dissipate. Carefully, Alec took the headphone and slipped it into his ear. 

“Hope you don’t mind Queen,” she said. 

The notes of whatever song had been playing faded away and the intro to Bohemian Rhapsody gently began. The nostalgia was strong, and Alec couldn’t help but relax into it. A small, more believable smile pulled at his mouth. 

Somehow, he wasn’t surprised that she liked Queen. It was very Cho.

Alec let his head fall back against the seat, breathing slowly as he concentrated on relaxing his muscles. His eyes closed, allowing the whimsical melody create its own symphony of colors, previous anxieties and sudden frights melting away with the beat.

“So,” Cho began lightly after a moment had passed. He inclined his head with a nod. “Your last name, Utkin, it’s Russian, right?”

“Da.”

He could hear the smile as she continued. “Aww yiss! That’s  _ excellent _ news.”

Now he was getting curious. Cho was building up to something, he could tell that much, but beyond that he hadn’t a clue as to what. Cracking an eye, Alec observed with caution.

“Should I… be concerned?”

Cho twisted in her seat. Her Capuchin grin had doubled in size. “This means you are eligible for a nickname my dude. My pal. Mi amigo, frond, tomodachi. Comrade, buddy,  _ friendo _ .”

His nose wriggled as he scrunched his face confusedly. That was a lot of terms to refer to him by. “How does my last name earn me a nickname?”

“It translates to ‘duck’ in English. That means you can be called Ducky! Yep, yep, yep!”

Alec sat upright. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “You lost me.”

She waved him off, still grinning, and leaned forward with an almost conspiratorial glint in her eyes. “Oh come on Ducky, your name’s ancient. You could almost say that it’s been around since before the land of time.”

He frowned. ‘ _ Since before the land of time? That… doesn’t sound right. Shouldn’t it be the land before time… Oh!’ _

“That’s a reference to a dinosaur movie, right?” She beamed at him, encouraging him to continue. “I remember it, sort of. Haven’t watched it since I was a small boy.”

“Oo, I haven’t watched it in a while either, but I loved it a lot. Ducky is and always will be my home dino girl. And you, you’re my favorite dude here on this trip. So, like, it’s a win-win, y’know?”

“I-I’m your―!” Alec sputtered, cheeks warming almost as rapidly as his mind was spinning. Cho had said plenty of weird and nice things to him within the last day or so, and it left him utterly baffled with the woman. The fact that she found him a favorite  _ anything _ was a damn near impossible one to wrap his head around.

He couldn’t recall the last time anyone had ever said he was their favorite.

“Well yeah. You and me, we’re partners.” Cho said brightly with a nudge of her elbow. “If we aren’t each other’s favorite person then who else will be?”

“Surely there’s someone else better than me. A family member or a friend perhaps.” His gaze fell his knees, voice lowering to a near unintelligible mumble. 

“But you  _ are _ my friend.”

“We barely know each other though. And I hardly qualify as a good friend anyway. You don’t have to claim I’m your favorite or anything that extreme.”

“Why are you trying so hard to deny yourself the benefit of the doubt?”

Alec froze. Cho blinked owlishly up at him, only a gentle curiosity filling her gaze. His mouth went dry. 

What was it about blunt kindness and sincerity that always made him quick to reject another’s words? Especially words meant for him? In all honesty, Cho’s declaration of friendship practically rocket launched him into the clouds! It made him so giddy that he never wanted to come down; above the clouds was where the color lived in abundance.

But the clouds themselves were made of rain, colored like sickly puce and heady smoke. 

_ ‘Because you’re not worth it,’ _ black thoughts hissed in his ear. _ ‘Because someone like her is too good for a broken little thing like you. You, the addict, the failure, the black stain. Because you’re really just a nothing in the grand scheme of things. You don’t deserve light like that in your life; you’ll only get burned by it.’ _

There was nothing he could refute that with. No positive attribute about himself that he could fire back without it ringing false in his mind. Alec had nothing to offer to Cho for a response. But for the black thoughts all he could give was an admission of belief. He denied himself a benefit of the doubt simply because he did not believe he was worth such a forgiving thing.

“Y’know,” Cho spoke softly, averting her gaze. “I realize that we both have rather different outlooks on life, so I’m not gonna go around claiming to understand everything you think or feel, but… Just know you can always tell me what’s on your mind. Because I would really like the chance to try and understand.”

It was vexing, the way she treated him. She never scolded or reprimanded him when he was slow to respond, nor did she instantly dismiss him when he admitted to things that made him sound like a lunatic. Instead, she would converse with him as normal as could be  _ (well, as was normal for Cho, anyway) _ , showed him nothing but herself, and offered him a sort of understanding that most would take for granted. For all her quirks, Cho was the most stable ground he had ever come across; an island in the middle of no man’s water.

Cho treated him like a human being.

A blithe feeling settled upon his limbs, rooting itself deep into his bones, making the coils of tension that bound his body ease away. A little more color bled into the world. For the first time, Alec noticed how colorful Cho really was.

At a glance he’d always assumed her short bob of curly hair was a chalky charcoal black. In reality, it held more of a subtle, navy blue sheen which really popped whenever the light flashed over it. Nestled in that wild hair was a marigold-polka dotted headband tied into a crooked bow. And beneath her heavy jacket peeked another shade of gold. Offhandedly, he wondered if that was her favorite color.

Compared to her, he was just dull.

Alec shook his head, blinking as flaxen strands of hair slipped into his eyes.  He would not chase off this good feeling so soon! With a sideways glance at her, the corners of his mouth quirked upward.

“What did a bland fool like me do to deserve such a bright kindness like yours?” he murmured. 

The young woman chuckled heartily. “Like attracts like my dude.” She clapped him on the shoulder.

An eyebrow rose at the unfamiliar phrase. 

“It means we fools were bound to flock to one another eventually. It just be like that sometimes, y’know?”

He most certainly did not.

“You said ‘fools’, as in plural.” He quickly changed the subject away from the strange slang. “I do not see you as a fool though.”

Cho scoffed. “Have you not seen my taste in mugs? I am but a simple fool; I see an ugly mug and I want it. That’s peak fool material right there.”

There was no possible way he could argue against this because he  _ had _ seen her mug collection. Her taste in drink ware was certainly odd and questionable, though her usage of the word fool still confused him.  _ (Americans were so loose with their meanings.) _ Yet somehow it felt applicable.

“I suppose this means there’s no use in arguing with you about this, is there.”

“I mean, if you want to then be my guest, but I’m just saying this is one matter in which you will be hard pressed to change my mind.”

It hit Alec just how strange the company he had chosen to keep really was, right then. Yet he rather enjoyed that strangeness. Instead of responding, he settled further into the chair, now content enough to just  _ relax. _ As the time continued to pass, Alec drifted into a pleasant stupor. No darkness bothered him here; it was just him, the music, and Cho’s warm presence.

After what felt like ages the bus finally came to a stop in a small meadow which bordered the edge of a forest. Alec had managed to almost completely forget his earlier blights. Almost bing the key word.

Stepping off the bus was like pulling shades over a window. What little color he had managed to retrieve earlier vanished, making the world dim and dismal like an old horror film. Once again it was like he could only perceive the world through the grayscale. The sudden reversion hit him like a freight train.

He breathed in sharply― shocked, disappointed ―and immediately recoiled. The air tasted like ash. It trickled down his throat to feed the itch buried deep within his lungs. An irritating itch which he couldn’t resist wanting to scratch.

Hands fumbling for his coat pockets, Alec reached for a weight most familiar to him, to touch thin cardboard and plastic― only to find empty space. Panic; bubbling, instantaneous, suffocating. Wiry fingers probed along every edge and poked deep into every corner.

_ Empty. _

He checked the hoodie beneath his coat.

_ Empty. _

His pants.

_ Empty. _

Just as he began scrambling to tear his backpack from his shoulders, a realization occurred to him. Where he was. Why he was here. This was the Mystery Haunts Tour that his parents had signed and shipped him off for. Cold turkey therapy. No drugs. No alcohol. Not even regular cigarettes were available to him. Just himself and this maddening feeling that he was losing that too.

It turned the world into an even darker place. 

‘ _ Everything that stands in your way should be burned. Every person that denies you your vice should be resented. Leave no bridge unburned.’ _

His hands trembled, and it wasn’t from fear. The garbled voices made too much sense with their twisted logic. They beckoned him in ways unexplainable and terribly familiar. They angered him as much as he angered himself for letting them get under his skin.

The shadows bordering the edge of the woods flickered.

“Oi, slackers! Clean the tomatoes out of your eyes and keep up!” Alec snapped to attention, blinking rapidly. At where he assumed was the start of the trail stood Brian with an i. His sharp voice carried across the meadow as he repeated himself one more time, waving before he turned and headed into the woods.

Looking around, Alec realized that most of the group had already gone on ahead. In fact, the only ones left behind were himself and Cho. The latter was already slowly advancing towards the trail, stopping frequently to look over her shoulder at him. A thick wave of apprehension framed her features.

He took a deep breath, ignoring the lingering itch within, and shuffled after her.

As he and Cho reached the entrance to the woods, his unease increased tenfold. The strange heaviness he felt was reflected on his companion’s face with a grimace. Did she feel that wrongness in the air too? Did she see the color steadily being leached from the world? Or was it just the bitter winter wind and casual fear of the woods that bothered her?

He opened his mouth to question what was wrong, but paused. What if he was just overreacting? This could just be his volatile emotions running amok and making him imagine things again. Nothing more than withdrawals making him moody and paranoid. Certainly, they had managed to establish that  _ something  _ freaky was going on, but some of it could have been stemming from his own issues. There was no reason to bother Cho with something that was probably all in his head.

Cho shivered, turning to peer at the trail they were to follow. The path was gloomy and overgrown, dead as it was, really looking the part of a scene from a horror movie. The part where even he wouldn’t be stupid enough to go in.

“Is it just me, or does this place just seem wrong? Like, grade A scary story material wrong.” Cho nervously fidgeted with a button on her coat. The trees creaked with another gust of wind and she shifted from foot to foot like a skittish animal.

A sigh of relief nearly escaped him.  _ Thank god, _ it wasn’t just him. 

Instead, swallowing that sigh down, he nodded in agreement. His lips thinned as they pressed themselves into a thin line, eyes trained on the eery path ahead. In stories, the end of the path itself was the most dangerous thing. Though what lay at the edges and deeper into the woods themselves was also a potential problem; luring innocent, often naïve, young people like themselves from the path to perform their vanities and impure deeds, before demons and human killers struck them like lambs for slaughter. It would scatter the flock and drive the foolish deeper into the woods and straight towards the heart of evil. They would all be picked off one by one in ways more gruesome than the last. There would be no hope for escape.

_ That _ was the image these woods gave him. And these were the woods he and Cho would have to go into, whether they liked it or not.

He gulped so loudly that it caused Cho’s face to pale drastically. Hurrying to cover his mistake, he gave her a shaky smile. 

“Our guides wouldn’t lead us into a place without making sure they knew what was in it,” he said with more confidence than he actually possessed. While he wholly trusted the tour guides of this trip, it was nearly impossible to shake his fears of his surroundings.

“Right… Right. Magic Bryan and Spider Brian wouldn’t betray us. No sacrifices going on in these woods. No siree.” She continued to mumble to herself whilst hedging her way into the woods. Alec followed just as slowly, each step seeming to weigh him down even more than the last. It was as if the universe was doing its damndest to keep him from going any farther down that path.

By the time they arrived at the end of the trail Alec felt even worse than usual. He was absolutely, utterly  _ winded _ . There hadn’t even been any hills! And the path didn’t lead them that far from the bus either. Why was he feeling like he’d just run a marathon?!

Sure, he may not have been in the best of shapes, but still. He usually did so well when it was just walking. He practically walked everywhere these days!  _ (That was barring the fact that driving was an exceedingly anxious endeavor  _ and _ that no one even remotely trusted him to drive  _ ever. _ )  _ And did it keep getting darker? These woods weren’t even that dense.

Alec shook his head. Maybe coming out here wasn’t such a good idea. He should have just stayed back with the bus. At least then he wouldn’t bother anyone with his freakouts.

“Uh…” He glanced at Cho, who stood stock still with eyes as large as dinner plates. “I know I said the road was grade A horror story material, but I take that back.  _ That’s _ the real deal breaker right there. Makes me wanna run home crying to mommy.”

His eyes slowly slid from her face towards the object of her terror. Alec had no problem whatsoever concurring.

The manor before them towered three stories high, including the tiny attic window at the roof, shrouded in a light, early morning fog that made it appear like a hazy apparition. The roof was cracked and littered with fallen branches, many of the tiles bending up and out at odd angles like split ends of hair. Plenty spots were missing even that. Moss bled black from the windows to mar what little remained of the once pristine white paint job. The inside of the house was darker than pitch, hollow eyes with broken lenses leering at him. Roots from the surrounding trees threatened to strangle the foundation, while dead leaves blanketed everything in a sea of decay.

His heart fell to his feet, which wanted nothing more than to take him away from this place. Something was utterly and horribly wrong here, and it wasn’t just because it was abandoned and decrepit.

“Whoa check it out!” Came an excited shout from the other side of the manor. “Satanic circles!”

“Satani― They are called  _ pentagrams _ , Norah!” Another person yelled back. A round of laughter echoed from the other members of the group.

Alec and Cho inhaled sharply and immediately turned around.

“Nope nope nope!” No to-freaking-day!” Cho began to speed walk down the trail. “I may be a fool, but not  _ that _ kind of fool. I know my horror tropes.”

He nodded.  _ “Agreed.” _

He took a step after her and froze. The world around him slowed down, the woods steadily continuing to darken. He couldn’t run away anymore.

_ ‘Too late.’ _

His heart thudded against his chest, a drum announcing an arrival, a prisoner clawing for an escape. Blood rushed thick and heavy through his ears to block all but the most shrillest of ringing from his mind. Ice ran down his spin in ghostly rivulets. His throat itched. For air. For smoke.

_ ‘Here… hearts… to awaken… awaken… boy of darkness…’ _

A thousand little words crowded him, disconnected ideas, guttural sounds, and disturbing impressions filling his head at once. They penetrated tender flesh and burrowed deep into his bones to take control of him. Even though he did not want to, even though every fiber of his being screamed and pleaded with him to not do it, the young man slowly began to look over his shoulder. Hazel eyes skimmed over decaying walls and broken windows, landing only on the little window in the attic. Alec stared into the void.

The void stared back.

The remaining light flickered out and Alec plunged into and endless night. His body floated, so weightless― Or was he falling? He tried to move, to understand where he was and what was happening, but he couldn’t feel it. He couldn’t feel  _ anything. _ There was nothing to his senses anymore. Only thought remained, and they were terrified.

The dissonant voices converged upon him.

_ ‘The vassel… awakens…’ _

_ ‘One of us.’ _

_ ‘Arkyn’s chosen steeped in dregs of ilk oh so familiar…’ _

_ ‘One of us.’ _

_ ‘Prying eyes… Trembling thoughts… Weak heart…’ _

_ ‘One. Of. Us.’ _

The voices clawed at his conscious, slipping hooked nails into unguarded crevices and breaking weak armor with fanged teeth. They poisoned him with a frenzy, numbing him into submission, and shredded his will into unrecognizable pieces. He saw swarms of Things and Beings that could not be named, for to name them would reap thousands of catastrophes onto his defenseless soul. Alec wept as he disintegrated into a creature even he could not recognize; with glowing gold eyes and a smile so unnatural, shrouded in noxious fumes and garbed in the finest chains the darkness had to offer.

There was no solace for this sinner in Hell.

_ “Aleksei.” _

Another voice, far beyond the ones that surrounded and bound him, quietly called to Alec. It was gentle, the way it said his full name, like the loving call of a parent; familiar and comforting. He latched onto the sound of its echo and searched for it among the hoard monsters, imagining his arm swinging, hand reaching for something, for  _ someone _ to take his and lead him from this nightmare. He reached amid the reel of the darkness drawing him into its fold.

A glimmer of light shined on the horizon. Alec cried softly as the unseen hands melted away.

_ “Fear not the Dark itself, for it will not harm you. And if you cannot yet see the comfort of its presence, then all you need do is seek Light’s essence.” _

“I don’t understand,” he sobbed. His strength waned, but it did not diminish the far off light. Would this voice not help him?

_ “Time will teach what I cannot tell, and from it, you’ll learn to climb from this place to which you fell. But be wary, for things lurking seek to corrupt the one who tarrys. Created by your own design or before the life of the worlds, you must fight to remain what is rightfully yours: Yourself.” _

“But I am not strong. I am not  _ brave _ .” The words made him feel like a whiny child despite how true they were. He almost expected the mysterious voice to chastise him like his parents would have.

Instead it offered him understanding.  _ “It is natural to fear what you do not know. But do not let that fear rule you forever, or forever miserable you’ll remain.” _

Feeling began to return to his limbs. Tangibility had never felt so good.

_ “You are not alone Aleksei. You are never alone.” _

The voice faded and he began to float towards the light, eyes fluttering. When he opened his eyes the world was unusually bright. He blinked slowly, and when his focus returned, Cho’s face was the first thing to greet him. He squinted at her. Why was she upside down? And why did his neck hurt?

_“Jeebus_ _Alec!”_ The young woman practically screeched his name. “You― You just collapsed and hit your head or your neck or― Or something! On a rock! And I thought it _broke_ you! Oh my gob, oh my gob, _oh my gob are you alright?!”_

“Easy Cho. You’re going to smother him.” Bryan pushed himself into Alec’s limited width of focus, gently easing Cho out of the way as he chastised her. The older man sighed and gave him a relieved smile. “Guten Morgen Herr Utkin. It’s nice to see you returned to the land of the living.”

His face creased with a deeper squint. “Pardon?”

Bryan nodded like this were to be expected. “As Cho explained, you collapsed and hit a rock. You were only out cold for a few minutes, but during that time you were, as the saying goes, dead to the world.”

He worked his jaw without uttering more than a few incomprehensible sounds. He had seen crazy things today, enough so that he must have sent himself into shock and had another nightmare. Or… What if this had something to do with his and Cho’s…  _ predicament?  _ Was this connected to the girl in the mirror?

Bryan pushed off the ground, towering above the two. “Do you think you can stand? We need to get you back to the bus.”

Alec started to shake his head only to wince sharply instead. His neck was killing him! Just how hard did he hit that rock?

The thought faded away when he saw Bryan’s offered hand. Alec had always liked Bryan’s hands; they were big and warm, and always so gentle despite their size. His own hands were nothing like that. Big, yes, but scrawny and clumsy, breaking most everything they dared to fumble with. He often wished he could have hands as sure and steady as Bryan’s.

He took the hand, shoving the mean thoughts away from him, and slowly rose to his feet. Cho remained at his side for every step of it, holding onto him, allowing him to lean against her. Alec truly didn’t know what he’d do if Cho had not chosen to be his friend. Go insane, perhaps.

“Did something happen?” Cho murmured from beneath his arm. Her voice was quiet so as to not let it carry over to Bryan, but it was almost too quiet for even him to hear. “Was it like any of the other weird stuff?”

Another shadow flickered in his peripheral, so similar to the eery outlines he had seen in his dream. The faintest sight of it almost made him want to turn and get a good look at it, to prove to himself that it wasn’t really there, but he quickly flinched away instead. It was just a remnant of the nightmare, and he would not interact with a remnant.

Alec gave a slight nod of his head. Given all the strange things that had happened within the last couple of days then he was beginning to think it was no coincidence at all. The two of them were going to have start digging deep to find their answers. And he had a feeling they would need to find them soon.

The three slowly left the dark house and all its gloom behind.

In the shadows, two small, glowing spheres stared at the retreating figures. It watched the creature garbed in darkness as thick as the one that created it walk, escorted by two brilliances of light, away. And as soon as they disappeared from view, the golden eyes blinked out of sight.

* * *

 

“Still no sign of her, I presume?”

“It’s almost as if she had never been there.”

DiZ stared out the window, hands clenched tightly behind his back. Riku near his shoulder, and though his face wasn’t visible to her from this angle, she could hear the frown in his voice.

Naminé observed them both from beneath her fringe, head bowed over her sketchbook. The sounds of her colored pencil idly scratching across paper were the only other sounds to be heard in the room. It had been several hours now since Emryn had gone into Twilight Town― and consequentially failed to return ―but Naminé wasn’t as concerned as the other two were. DiZ was just uptight and overly suspicious, and Riku was more worried about how this would affect bringing Sora back.

DiZ hummed irately. “I knew it had been an unwise decision to allow that woman to leave.”

_ ‘And yet you did anyway.’ _ The unspoken thought weighed heavily beneath his frustration, mingling with the ever increasing waves of confusion and distrust. She could feel his tension from where she sat. Even though his emotions, his heart, were not as clear cut to read as say, Riku’s, it was the most understandable thing she had ever gauged from the old man since meeting him. That was enough to elicit a small smirk from her.

Of course he wouldn’t understand why he had suddenly changed his mind to let Emryn leave, no one could full do so, not even Emryn herself. Naminé had a decent idea though. Somehow, Emryn’s powers were reminiscent of her own. But while she layered illusions and shattered memories of the heart, Emryn’s abilities seemed more logical, mindful. Even so, her powers were still budding. There was no telling what they could become or how powerful they would eventually be.

“If she has fallen into the hands of the Organization then all will be for naught. That woman speaks too much for her own good.” DiZ pulled away from the window to pace the width of the room. “We cannot afford to change our position, and if I am right, she has cost us just that.”

The smirk vanished. He and Emryn had never been on good terms despite how little they actually interacted with one another, and a lot of it could be chalked up to Em’s own willful personality and foreknowledge. However, most of DiZ’s words were spoken thoughtlessly in regards to the other woman. She was just a nuisance in the grand scheme of things, and people with big plans and ulterior motives didn’t like nuisances. It was of no consequence to them to speak ill of whatever or whoever got in their way. Naminé had realized that way of viewing Emryn was becoming a trend and she hated it, because it was being applied to someone important to her.

“Emryn’s not a traitor,” the girl muttered.

Her words carried across the room, causing DiZ to pause and sharply look at her. Naminé balked out of reflex at his intense stare.

She loathed eyes like his when they were trained on her. The disdain in his single golden eye made her want to curl up and vanish from sight.

But she wasn’t quite the same as she used to be. Confrontation may still have frightened her, but not nearly enough to keep her from meeting it head on anymore. Taking a leaf from Emryn’s book, Naminé set her pencil down and met DiZ’s gaze with an unwavering one of her own.

“You  _ assume _ Emryn would betray us, but your assumptions are founded on baseless grounds,” she rephrased, louder.

“If my grounds are baseless then where does this confidence stem from?” DiZ demanded. “How can you trust that that stranger will not lead us all to ruin?”

“It’s not so different from the benefit of the doubt that Riku and I have extended to you. I believe the phrase you would use here would be  _ ‘common courtesy’ _ .”

Her clipped response forced him to shut his mouth with an audible click. If Emryn were here then she could only imagine the glee the young woman would express at the situation she had just placed the old man in.

Returning back to her drawing, she added, “Though in my case, Emryn has actually done something to earn my confidence.”

Naminé had to suppress a giggle at the silence that continued to follow her statement. They didn’t owe DiZ  _ anything.  _ He knew it, she knew it― They  _ all _ knew it. She wasn’t going to allow DiZ’s delusions of entitlement to use her like a doormat while he spat on her friend on the side. 

“I see.” DiZ let the words draw out slowly, as if he perhaps genuinely considering what she had said. Though even after all that she knew he still had yet to be convinced of Emryn’s integrity. And there was nothing Naminé could actually do about that without the woman in question there to help defend herself.

The old man left shortly after that, with the heels of his boots clicking sharply down the hall. It was just her and Riku then. The latter lingered by the window, uncertainty feeding the rigid lines of his posture. He didn’t know what to make of that conversation; Riku may have tolerated Emryn more than DiZ ever had, but he still didn’t know her. And after disappearing in a place the Organization was known to frequent, what trust he might have extended to her was wavering. Because despite what Naminé argued, Em very much so possessed the ability to be a liability to their cause. To Sora’s return.

He turned to her at that moment. Hesitancy, so out of place on his normally stoic features, manifested itself in the way he opened his mouth. He was trying so hard not to assume the worst― that was part of what had gotten him into this mess in his life ―but it was difficult to allow a perfect stranger the benefit of the doubt. Riku wasn’t like Sora, in that regard.

“What exactly did Emryn do for you?” he asked quietly. “For your trust in her to be so sure, it must have been something important.”

Her hand stopped moving across the page. It had seemed so obvious to her in hindsight, and yet, she had never actually explained it to anyone out loud, had she? Putting the pencil down again, Naminé leaned back in her seat, her gaze focused on a far off point behind the boy. A soft smile pulled at her lips.

“She helped me help myself.”

Riku blinked. He took a moment to process that, before a wave of understanding overcame him. After all, Sora was the same when it came to him and all his shortcomings. That’s why he was trying so hard to repiece all that he’d broken― So he could thank Sora for giving him the opportunity to fix his mistakes. 

Lightly, Naminé ran her fingers across the sketch, tracing it. Occasionally she glanced at Riku.

“I already knew Emryn wouldn’t be coming back,” she admitted. His head whipped up, eyes narrowing.

“What do you mean?”

She touched her chest, delicately brushing over the spot that thumped so warmly. Ever since those chains had connected them, Naminé had glimpsed things. The door that had once been shut in her face had opened. Not very much, by any means, but more like a crack which allowed her to peek behind it. It had been enough to receive a message.

“We didn’t talk about it, if that’s what you’re wondering,” she assured. “I knew because I saw it in her heart. Emryn’s got her own journey to make, and the road she’s taking leads her further than if she were to follow either of our paths. It’s what she’s meant to do.”

He didn’t say anything for a while. The tread of his footsteps was near silent as he drew closer to her side. 

“Riku.”

Vibrant teal eyes flickered to her face.

“If you ever run into Emryn out there, and she’s in trouble, please help her.”

As much as she didn’t like doing it, she agreed with DiZ on one thing: Emryn attracted trouble like no one’s business. She was going to need all the help she could get in that regard. Naminé nearly sagged in relief when he finally agreed.

“Alright.” Riku nodded once.

The girl looked down at her drawing and Riku looked too. Anticipation began to swell within her. Many things were coming on future’s horizon. Big things, small things. Changes and divergences. And Naminé wondered what it would be like when it all came to fruition. How different would they all be then? And would Emryn become like the girl in her picture?

Her eyes slid from line to line, connecting dots, making shapes. She’d never drawn anything like this before. It almost looked like a mosaic. One figure, with faded red hair, clutching her messenger bag, walked towards the new horizon. Surrounding her were hills filled with perfect pastures and small flowers. Beneath her feet was an unpaved road. 

Taking a light blue pencil, Naminé penned a small message in the corner of the page, immortalizing her hopes, wishes, and desires for her friend, as well as her last words to her. It was the best she could do, until they could meet once again.

_ ‘Safe travels Emryn.’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DiZ found dead in Miami, more news @ 6
> 
> Short chapter, but I'm rather happy with how it turned out. Also, this got uploaded while the sun was still up and out as opposed to dead of night like usual, so I'm just sitting here like, "...Wack." XD 
> 
> Kudos and reviews are appreciated!


	13. The Difference Between Crocs and Gators

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which one's a horrible fashion choice and the other wants to eat you.

As most children often did, Emryn loved to pretend she could shapeshift. The idea was like a siren’s call to the little girl’s adventure seeking mind. To change your appearance at will, to become whatever or whoever you so desired― any child would leap at the chance possess such a power! It made all the stories of her games that much more interesting.

Her particular favorite thing to become was a cat. A stray had once paid her a visit when she was playing in her backyard, allowing her to pet it and play with it just a little. From that moment on she’d been a goner, her little heart dedicated to learning how to be a cat, because a cat was the only one who knew where it was at. She learned that meowing correctly usually required her to not open her mouth too much and to keep the back of her tongue close to the roof of her mouth. Loafing was an incredibly comfy sitting position, but not nearly as nice as laying on her side like a spoiled rich kitty laying in front of the fireplace. She even learned how to distribute her weight in order to walk or even run lightly on her feet.  _ (The grace and flexibility of an actual cat, though, were beyond her means of attainment.) _

So, as she got older, and in a more hypothetical setting, she always imagined that if she  _ could _ turn into an animal, it would have been a cat.

Imagine her surprise when that hypothetical setting suddenly ceased being hypothetical. Except, she wasn’t a cat, like she’d have expected.

Emryn placed a small paw up against the mirror, the words  _ Devil’s Bayou _ slowly fading away to leave nothing but her stunned reflection. Beady little eyes, large ears, a twitchy little nose, and incredibly long whiskers. The fur on her face made her look like a puffball, dark brown in color at the roots, but the tips where speckled red to give her a russet dusting. Her glasses had shrunken to sit on the tip of her nose like a miniature pair of granny glasses. As for her clothes, the shirt and cardigan remained, but her pants and sneakers had vanished. 

A mouse.

She was a  _ freaking mouse. _

Emryn exhaled slowly and tried not to freak out. 

“A transmutation of species shouldn’t be possible,” she muttered to herself, running her other hand―  _ paw  _ ―through her fur. Everything she touched tingled uncomfortably. “What am I saying? None of this should be possible. But it is. It’s Kingdom Hearts. If Sora can get a fursona when he goes to the Pride Lands then of course I can become a mother freaking mouse. Magic logic Emryn, gotta think magic logic.”

Breathing deeply, Em turned and leaned against the mirror, sliding against the smooth surface. She closed her eyes as a sudden wave of exhaustion washed over her. A pulsing ache resonated heavily in the back of her skull; the ever present hum she had been experiencing had tripled in intensity with her transformation. The painful sensation had cycled throughout her entire body, leaving her feeling as if she were experiencing the most tortuous version of acupuncture ever. 

Eventually the pain ebbed away and she got up. Em stumbled towards her bag, not quite grasping the sudden size difference. Or body type difference. Species difference.  _ Whatever. _ There was no point in reflecting on the odd ended details when there were bigger fish to be frying. She continued to talk herself through her actions as she collected her things.

“Okay, so I’m a mouse. A mouse in a place called Devil’s Bayou. Assuming that I’m  _ wasn't _ sent anywhere other than a Disney universe― a dangerous thing for me to be assuming ―then it shouldn’t be  _ too _ hard to discern. What movie has mice and a place known as Devil’s Bayou?”

The first mouse themed movie to come to mind was Cinderella, but that was quickly scratched because she highly doubted there was such an American name like Devil’s Bayou in the little French kingdom the story was based in. That tossed The Great Mouse Detective out as well, considering that one was set in London. Princess and the Frog, perhaps? Had there even been any mice or was it all just frogs? Gosh, it’d been so long since she’d watched that movie.

But what else was there? 

The surface beneath her feet tilted somewhat, bobbing delicately from side to side. The wood creaked as the place rocked. Emryn slung her bag over her shoulder and peered around the place. It felt like she was on a boat, but looked like she was in a bedroom.

It appeared she had landed on a vanity. The area was cluttered with fancy boxes of many sizes; noxious fumes came from a few of them while beads almost as large as her head spilled from others. Large bottles with clear cut cases and shiny liquid lined the edges of a dusty mirror, their pumps looking like oversized dodgeballs from her perspective. A hideous pair of purple nylons were draped haphazardly across the the mirror like a used and abused tissue. Last but not least was a bristly brush overflowing with snarls upon snarls of obscenely bright orange hair.

Further out in the room was an unmade bed. The metal frame and posts were gilded with fancy spirals. The golden sheen would have looked nicer if it weren't obvious that cheap paint had been used, causing it to wear down, revealing many silver spots all over the frame. The sheets were an unpleasant shade of red, reminding her of sickly pastel Valentine's cards made from used cardstock. Even worse were the pillows, which she assumed had once been pristine, white, and fluffy, but were now misshapen and patched with yellow spots where someone had frequently drooled.

Across from the bed was a dresser, feathery, frilly clothes spilling out of it like it was auditioning for an episode of Hoarders. Next to that disaster was a square window covered by the saddest pair of shutters she had ever seen, all crooked and nearly stripped bare of its paint― much like the rest of the room. 

If Emryn didn’t know any better, she’d have said she’d wound up in the next hot location for the Mystery Haunts Tour. The disarray this room was in certainly seemed scary enough for it.

Sighing, Emryn peered over the edge of the vanity and immediately kicked herself for it. Under normal circumstances, in a normal body, she wouldn’t have even thought twice about hopping down― It barely would have even been considering hopping, not that she would have even dared to get on this decrepit looking thing in the first place. But now that she was no taller than an average crayon, and undoubtedly just as fragile, the distance from the top of the vanity to the floor was a daunting one.

Em backed away from the edge, biting her lower lip as she repeatedly nodded her head. She glanced at the bed, wondering if maybe she might be able to reach it with a running leap, but one look at that distance didn’t seem any better that the one that led straight to the floor. Her jaw clenched in an effort to keep her expression as neutral as possible.

_ ‘Don’t think about that height. Stop thinking about the height. You’re gonna end up making yourself pass out, and quite frankly, I don’t really wanna know what that’s like as a mouse.’ _

Groaning, the young woman settled into a crouch and began to rub her eyes. She could already feel the pins and needles in the tips of her fingers.

_ ‘Yep. That settles it. Guess I’ll die up here, unless that stupid mirror will take me somewhere else.’ _

A low creak sounded from the opposite side of the room. Em jumped, her sensitive hearing making noise sound like a gunshot in the silent room. She dove behind one of the boxes with a little squeak and collapsed on her knees. Her heart thudded rapidly in the adrenaline’s wake.

The creaking paused― for a beat it was silent again ―and then it started up again. Her ears flicked from side to side, and ever so cautiously, the little mouse peered around the corner. A small shadowy form loomed in the doorway, glancing over its shoulder repeatedly as it shuffled into the room. The mystery person hopped around a bit, avoiding certains spots in the floor that must have been loose and noisy, as they made their way closer to the vanity.

As her eyes adjusted to the light, Emryn noticed that the shadowy figure was more than that― It was a child. A little girl, to be exact. She squinted at the kid, watching as she continuously cast nervous glances over her shoulder towards the door. She froze when a particularly loud groan echoed from the hall. After a few seconds she returned to her original task, clutching what appeared to be a teddy bear close to her chest, taking a deep breath.

The child reached the vanity and began rifling through the drawer. As the child rummaged through its contents, the little mouse in hiding was about to start hyperventilating. Em’s eyes practically bugged out of her head upon getting a clear view of the little girl. Even if the lighting was not working in her favor, she could recognize those funky little pigtails anywhere.

“Penny?” she said out loud. Immediately she clapped a paw over her mouth, but it was too late.

Penny flinched, dropping her teddy bear. She gasped and dove for the floor. For a minute she stayed there, perhaps thinking that if she remained hidden then whoever or whatever that had said her name wouldn’t notice where she was. Likewise, Emryn pressed herself even closer to the box, hardly even daring to breathe. Cautiously, the child stood up again, looking around.

“Is someone there?” she whispered.

Emryn gulped. Slowly, she turned towards the mirror to give it a look that was somewhere between fervent shock and exasperation. Things had finally clicked into place.

_ ‘I have so many bones to pick with you right now that I don’t know which one I should hit you with first,’ _ she seethed at the mirror. Her whiskers gave an agitated twitch.  _ ‘The Rescuers? Really? You couldn’t send me somewhere that would actually help me? Like, I dunno, Hollow Bastion or Yen Sid’s tower? _

_ ‘And why couldn’t I stay human? I’d be of more use in my original size and species. What can I do as a mouse? Bite people to death?!’ _

The mirror didn’t respond, not that she expected it to anyway. She  _ was _ going to have another chat with Dreamself though. Granted, she also doubted that anything useful would come out of that thing’s mouth, as usual.

Em turned around when she heard the little girl moving around again. She must have decided that she had been hearing things, for she had gone right back to digging around the drawer. A couple seconds later she finally pulled out a dirty, crumpled― Emryn squinted some more ―sheet of paper? Moving some of the clutter to the side, Penny set the paper on the desk and smoothed it out, revealing that it was also a very holy piece of paper. She dug a stubby pencil out of her dress pocket and bent over the sad little sheet; sticking her tongue out and furrowing her brow, the child began to write.

_ ‘She’s still sending messages in bottles,’ _ Em deduced.  _ ‘How far back in the story does this put me? Would I be close to the start of the movie, or in the weeks prior to the rescue?’ _

If this instance was closer to the beginning of the movie, then it wouldn’t be long before the Rescue Aid Society sent Bernard and Miss Bianca to help. But if this was in the weeks prior to anyone receiving one of Penny’s messages then Emryn had no idea what she was supposed to do. Not that she had a clue what she was going to do once the story really started picking up, either. What could she do anyway? This world’s story was already made up, and she wasn’t in it.

She looked at the mirror once more. It hadn’t shown any sign of being active again, since she had touched it already and it hadn’t done anymore of its inconvenient version of transportation. Even though she wanted to leave, there was no way off this world; with Sora asleep, and Riku busy trying to repent and bring said boy back, Emryn was, to put it bluntly, shit out of luck.

Emryn was starting to sense a trend where her luck was concerned, and it wasn’t a pleasant one she wanted to continue.

But what was she going to do? If she was here then there had to be a reason. Was she supposed to help Bernard and Miss Bianca save Penny? Or was she just supposed to observe everything from the shadows? Maybe she really  _ should  _ just go around biting people.

Or― she paused as an idea suddenly struck her ―what if there was a clue here that would help her solve Dreamself’s riddles?

Her mind raced with the thought. The movie’s plot flashed by like frames slapped onto cards, cards meant to prep her for a quiz. She questioned all that she remembered about this movie, wondering just what, exactly, would apply to her. The only thing she could come up with, though, was that she had once really enjoyed this movie _ (although the sequel was her absolute favorite) _ , leaving her stuck at square one.

Resisting the urge to groan, she rubbed her temples in defeat. How was she supposed to figure out anything if she was never given a proper lead to follow? And could she not go one second without overthinking things?

_ ‘Wait, wait― Didn’t Dreamself say something about my overthinking problem? Cast the riddles from my mind and to my soul, for surely it knows the way to go? Or something like that?’ _

Perhaps, in simpler terms, Dreamself had merely meant she just needed to roll with the punches as they came? Unless she was being semi-literal, in which case she― No! Now was not the time to be overthinking that too! For now she was going to follow her first conclusion and hang around Devil’s Bayou and see what would be unveiled for her. Not the most solidest of plans she’d ever come up with, but it was good enough for her indecisive little mind at the moment.

_ ‘Well,’ _ Emryn peeked around the corner again, eyeing the child.  _ ‘If I’m going to stick around then the least I can do is keep an eye on Penny. Maybe even keep her company until the cavalry arrives.’ _

Whether it was just the paternal genes she’d carved into herself or just her natural big sister tendencies, she knew she couldn’t just leave little Penny all on her own. She was a simple being after all; she saw a lost or sad child and she just had to latch onto them. And this little girl could use all the comfort and support in the world right now.

Emryn crept from behind the box and cleared her throat.

“Hello Penny.”

The pencil slipped from her fingers as her head jerked up. Penny glanced every which way, trying to find the source of the voice. 

_ ‘No one ever thinks to look down,’ _ Em thought, softly snorting as she waved her paws in the air. “Down here!”

Round little eyes grew wide as they fell upon her, mouth forming a surprised little  _ ‘o’. _ Slowly, Penny knelt down, resting her chin on the lip of the vanity to make herself close to eye level with Emryn. Up close, Em found that Penny was a terribly adorable child. Her chubby face was perfectly framed by a wavy, dirty blonde fringe, as well as complemented with a cute button nose and dark, pretty eyes. She had the kind of face that could melt a heart; Emryn seriously began to question how blind people had to be to  _ not _ want to adopt this child on the spot.

“Hello,” she whispered. “Who are you?”

Emryn shuffled a little closer, trying to appear as kindly but mature as possible. This little girl needed to know she was a reliable adult despite her less than impressive size.

“My name is Emryn. I found one of your messages and I’m here to help.” She licked her lips as the lie slipped from her mouth, quick and unbidden. Penny’s eyes lit up hopefully.

“You are?”

Emryn nodded, shoving aside the sudden lump of guilt pitting itself inside her gut. Lying was such a tricky thing for her. The ability to speak untruths and falsehoods was one that varied with each person she interacted with. When it came to people she disliked, like most people in the Organization, it was an easier feat because she held no attachment to them. Yet all members were practically hand fed lies on a daily basis, and some had trained themselves to be bloodhounds for fake words, making it difficult for her. But it was easier on her conscious to try lying to them that it was to lie to a six year old. Children, especially ones as young as Penny, were so trusting if a word was spoken with enough kindness. She hated lying to children.

Unfortunately, her white lie seemed like the only believable way she could get away with knowing certain things. It certainly made a lot more sense than claiming she could see the future, that’s for sure.

With a somewhat heavy nod, Em confirmed the girl’s question.

A large grin split across her face. She squeezed her teddy bear tightly with an ecstatic giggle. Hope shone from her like a rising beacon.

“See Teddy?” She buried part of her face into the stuffed animal. “I knew someone would get my messages. I just knew it!”

The joyous mood didn’t last long, her smile suddenly falling as she looked back at Emryn. “But how come you didn’t bring someone taller?”

_ ‘Not everyone is as okay with mice suddenly talking as you are kid,’ _ came one thought, which was immediately followed by,  _ ‘That and my means of arrival aren’t what one would consider typical, either. One could say I didn’t have the time to stop by a police station.’ _

What she said though was, “No one really knows that mice can talk, you see. Adults would go crazy if we just went up to them and started speaking― Especially the ladies.”

She winked before miming a woman panicking because she saw a mouse, and then pretended to faint. Her act got another giggle from the child.

Emryn stepped closer to pat the girl’s face. “But don’t you worry sweetie. My friends sent the letter we found to the Rescue Aid Society. They’ll send some professionals to help. I came now because I was so worried about you.”

Penny tilted her head. “What’s the Rescue Aid Society?”

“It’s a group made by mice that help children in trouble all across the world. They’re very good at what they do,” she said, despite having only seen two instances of a successful rescue. Both of which had been performed by the same two mice. 

An uncomfortable silence bridged between the two, neither quite knowing what to do next. Em racked her brain for something to say. She figured she at least needed to keep up the charade that she didn’t really know as much as she did, so a question or two was probably in order.

“Penny, can you tell me how you got to be here? Parts of your message had been washed away, so I couldn’t read everything.’

Scooping Emryn up, Penny backed away from the vanity and settled on the bed, which groaned loudly despite how small the child was. She set Emryn on the pillow, absently smoothed out her skirt, and clutched her bear close as she started her story.

“Medusa stopped me on my way back to the orphanage. She said she was on a treasure hunt but she needed my help, ‘cause the treasure was somewhere a grownup couldn’t reach. She said it would only take a day to find, but she  _ lied. _ ”

The child grew more distressed with each word. Emryn slid down the pillow and patted her hand. She made soft noises to comfort her in place of the words which she was at a loss for. 

“I don’t like that hole.” Her lower lip trembled. “It’s dark, and there are scary noises, especially before the water starts coming up. Teddy hates the water.”

She held out the stuffed animal and made it shake its head, as if agreeing to the statement. As the child hugged her toy again, Emryn could feel her blood pressure rising. It had honestly never really hit her just how frightening this whole situation must have been to the little girl. Medusa and Snoops had been more like comedic villains to her; people she knew from the beginning were set up to fail, thus she’d never actually taken them seriously. Even when she was a kid, the first Rescuers movie hadn’t ever set home just how precarious Penny’s predicament really was. 

But now it was dawning on her, and it made her downright  _ livid. _ More than anything, she wanted to be a human again, if only just so she could punch two sorry excuses for human beings right in their stupid faces. And then she would wisk Penny away and probably outright adopt her if she had to. Just…  _ Anything  _ to make the little girl before her feel safe and unafraid. 

_ ‘But that isn’t how the story goes.’ _ The downing little thought nagged at her just beneath the surface of her anger.  _ ‘You don’t have any place to be doing that here. Don’t stick your nose into a problem that’s not yours.’ _

Instead of getting her to agree with it though, it merely invigorated her fury. How  _ dare _ she even  _ think _ such a thing! Yes, she’d had some doubts about being here, about what she was supposed to do. But that did not mean she would back down now. Just like with Naminé, and Repliku, and even Sora, she wasn’t going to just stand by while a literal  _ child _ was in distress. Maybe she couldn’t go toe to toe with the baddies. Maybe she’d make a mistake that would cause change and cost her all that she thought she knew, but it was something Emryn knew needed to be done. After all, despite her major fuck ups in Castle Oblivion, things had still managed to turn out alright. Who was to say that the same wouldn’t happen here?

Such a line of thinking wasn’t the smartest, as she well knew. It was almost too cocky of her to test her luck like that. For all she knew, fate would hear her thoughts and take it as a challenge, making what could have been a harmless decision the worst one of her life, perhaps even costing it  _ (again). _ But at the moment Emryn didn’t care. She knew what she needed to do, and she was gonna stick to it.

“Alright, I’ll tell you what we’re gonna do.” She pointed at the abandoned letter on the vanity. “We’re gonna finish that letter and send it on its way. We’ll send as many as we have to!”

“But why?” Penny asked, sniffling. “I thought you said help was coming?”

“It will be, I promise, I just don’t know when. Think of this like a back up plan, yeah? If you keep sending out SOS’s, someone else is bound to pick one up. If there’s even the smallest possibility of more people coming to the rescue, the better.”

Penny rubbed one hand over her eyes. She sniffed loudly and looked over at her note. “I don’t have enough paper though,” she sighed. “Mr. Snoops knows I sent messages in bottles before, so he’s hidden most of the paper away.”

At the mention of Medusa’s partner in crime, the little girl suddenly looked around, a nervous shiver creating a tremor in her shoulders. Leaning closer, she added, “This is Medusa’s room. I’m not supposed to be in here. If he catches me I’ll be in big trouble!”

“Then let’s finish this letter now and hurry to send it out. We can worry about the other letters later.” Emryn hopped onto Penny’s lap. “Come on, I’ll help you finish this one.”

For the next few minutes Emryn helped the child compose the last of her SOS. When they finished, Penny crawled beneath Medusa’s bed and retrieved a discarded bottle. Emryn rolled the note up as best as she could and shoved it into the bottle. Penny shoved the cork in after, giving it a few good hits just to make sure it was on tight. It wouldn’t do much to keep the water out once it hit the ocean, but at least it was better than nothing. If the letter the RAS received was just barely legible then it shouldn’t be too bad.

When they were ready to go, Penny held open the pocket on her dress, allowing Emryn to hop into it. Her bag slipped over her head as she scrambled around in an attempt to steady herself. It was a lot harder to stand in a pocket than it had looked in the movie, that was for sure. Eventually, though, she became used to the gentle swing of the skirt as it moved with the little girl, and she managed to get a good grip on the lip of the pocket.

Just as slowly as she had come in, Penny cautiously crept from the bedroom and into the hallway. Her little mary janes tapped along the floor, searching out the boards that creaked the least, and she was swift as she shifted her weight from one piece of wood to the next. 

Looking around as they moved through the old boathouse, Em noted how much more worn down things looked than they had in the movie. It was a miracle that this place even passed as livable to begin with. Parts of the walls were rotted through; some spots in the ceiling seemed close to caving in, and others she could see right into the next room. The whole boat must have been ready to collapse at any given moment. Emryn shuddered to think about what might have even been growing in all the dark, dank corners, too. How Penny managed to not hurt herself in here was beyond her.

The moment they were outside there came a notable shift in the temperature. The air inside the boathouse had been bearable simply because she hadn’t noticed it, but the humidity outside was tortuous to her. Within moments Emryn had become a sweaty, panting disaster. Humidity was the absolute  _ worst, _ and she wasn’t saying that just because she was a desert rat. Every breath was a chore, as if she were trying to breath through water instead of air, and she couldn’t help but equate it to drowning. But with no actual water to drown in, the sensation was eerily similar to being compressed in the dark corridor. 

A sharp twinge lanced through her chest in response to the idea, the feeling evoking with vivid clarity the feel of steel sliding between flesh and bone, cutting through veins and sinew, creating holes where holes should not exist. Em clutched her chest as a sudden burning panic flared through her. She fought to keep her breathing level. 

“Are you okay?” Penny whispered, pausing mid step to check on her passenger. Emryn took a deep breath and nodded.

“It’s just really muggy out here, so it’s a little hard to breathe,” she partially lied. “I’ll be fine once I get used to it. Don’t worry about me.”

A low hiss from the right caused both of them to jump. Penny picked up the pace, shooting past the spot the sound had originated from, making Emryn bounce uncontrollably against her leg. The little mouse attempted to crane her head back towards the spot they’d abandoned and spotted a dull yellow gleam in the shadows. 

Shuddering, Em looked away. Those had to be Medusa’s… Crocodiles? Alligators? She could never remember which species they were. What were their names again? Brutus and…? Her face screwed up as she tried to recall the other reptile’s name, but to no avail, it evaded her.

While Emryn ruminated on what the other pet’s name was― it was also a Roman name, of that she was certain of ―Penny finally reached the prow of the boat. Gently, she pulled the mouse from her pocket and set her on the railing. They looked over the edge and at the water below. In the fading light, the water looked ominous.

_ ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more creatures like Medusa’s pets down there,’ _ she thought with a shudder. 

Penny held the bottle out over the water as far as she dared, her little feet just barely lifting up off the floor as she leaned over the railing. As useless as the action was in her condition, Em nervously put a paw on the girl’s sleeve to steady her. They held their breath as the bottle was released, falling into the murk with a heavy  _ plop! _ The bottle submerged completely for a few seconds before bobbing back to the surface. Slowly, the SOS they had crafted together floated away, and, hopefully, towards the sea. Emryn wondered if this would be the message that would make it to the RAS.

“Do you really think someone will get my letter?” The child’s voice wobbled as she uttered the question. She looked at Emryn, dark eyes wide with a mixture of fear, hope, and a very concerning tiredness. Emryn knew that tired shadow, dull and heavy, lurking just beneath the stronger emotions and growing without restraint. It was a weariness that did not belong in a child’s heart.

“Someone will see your message,” she promised fervently. Her grip tightened on the fabric. “Someone will see it and come rescue you, I swear it!”

“How can you be so sure?”

_ ‘Because I know how this story goes!’ _ she wanted to scream.  _ ‘I know because I’ve seen it time and time again! I can’t get more certain than that!’ _

But she couldn’t say what she thought. It wouldn’t make sense to the little girl. Hell, sometimes even she still couldn’t make sense of it. And she was becoming exhausted, being burdened with all this knowledge. She wished she could be just as unknowing of what the future held as this innocent child before her, yet still as confident and hopeful as she was trying to behave now.

Emryn tilted her head towards the sky. It was an overcast night. Yet through the clouds peeked a few stars. They almost looked like a little bird.

“Faith is a bluebird, we see from afar,” she murmured, recalling the little speech the the cat from the orphanage had given Penny to make her cheer up.

Penny gave a little gasp. “You know that too?”

Em smiled. “A little. I only remember the first line, but it’s always been enough for me. It’s like a little night light for when things seem too dark, y’know?

“Faith is like a bluebird, we see from afar,” she began again, hoping it’d prompt Penny into reciting it. Hoping it’d give Penny the hope that her own certainty gave her.

“It’s for real and as sure as the first evening star. You can’t touch it, or buy it, or wrap it up tight,” Penny squeezed her teddy for extra emphasis, “but it’s there just the same, making things turn out right.”

They giggled together, relief evident in the way the tension left the child’s body. Emryn opened her mouth to say something, perhaps suggest that they go back inside and discuss what they would do next, when a large, meaty hand suddenly clamped around Penny’s arm. Emryn squeaked in alarm, whirling on the intruder.

“Now― Now see here young lady. What are you doing out here? You better not be sending any more of those― of those letters again, ya hear?”

Mr. Snoops looked every bit the cartoonish stooge in reality as he did in the actual cartoon. He was short and stout, with a cheap tacky thrift store suit that made him look like he worked for a crappy real estate agency managed by a devil named Helen. Clothes aside, the man himself looked like an extra large bowling pin with a balding clown afro and a permanent puberty ‘stache. He was the epitome of the ultimate desk jockey that couldn’t do his job worth a shit but thought he could pull of an easy get rich quick scheme by kidnapping a child.

Emryn growled at him, absolutely ready to launch all three inches of herself at the man and violently persuade him to get his hands off Penny.

Snoops took note of the mouse with a frown.

“Go on, shoo, shoo. Get out of here. Nasty little rodent.  _ Shoo. _ ”

He swiped his hand across the railing, slapping the mouse and sending her flying into the swamp. Emryn felt all the air rush out of her in one giant gust, causing the lights to temporarily go out. She vaguely heard Penny give a terrified yelp as she crashed into the water.

Instantly, Emryn slapped a paw over her glasses, because she was  _ not _ losing another pair so soon after she just got them! She continued sinking all the while.

_ ‘Dammit! Dammit, dammit, dammit!’ _

By the time she had leveled out and became less disoriented her lungs were on fire. She paddled furiously towards the surface, desperate to breathe. Her eyes remained shut for fear of what she might catch― Or for what she might find in the water with her.

The moment she broke through the surface she released the tension within through one long wheeze, before greedily sucking in― albeit noxious ―air as she treaded water. After a few minutes spent trying not to pass out and drown, Emryn turned around and attempted to gauge how far away she had been sent from the boat house. Granted, everything from her shrunken point of view seemed terribly far away. And judging now, she’d have to swim what must have been the mile in mouse terms. All that was excluding the extra distance she’d have to swim to find a place to climb up on the boat, too.

Emryn took another deep breath― resisting the urge to gag at the rotting smell the swamp produced ―and began to swim. Her muscles ached, wanting nothing more than for her to stop and take a moment to relax, but she wouldn’t listen. There wasn’t a moment to waste; she had to get back to Penny!

Just as she completed her first stroke, however, a high pitched keening exploded within her head. Emryn floundered as pain clouded her vision, accidentally inhaling water and choking. The water went over her head as she lost control. A familiar twang resounded through both water and air, causing her to freeze. But it wasn’t just one noise, no. It was multiple, and they were coming from all around her.

_ ‘The Organization?!’ _ Emryn started paddling erratically despite how disoriented she already was. 

Something hissed not more than a few meters in front of her and Emryn splashed to a halt. Slowly, she reached a paw up and rubbed at her eyes, squinting at the dark shadow. What she saw was like one of Medusa’s pets, but infinitely worse. The first thing that came into focus was a pointed, scaly snout. Farther down that nose, dipping in and out of the water, were several long and balloon poppingly sharp teeth. When her gaze reached the eyes she could practically feel her soul slipping from her body; they were glowing amber, and marked plainly between those two lantern like spheres was the sigil of a Heartless.

Emryn spun in a circle and counted three more equally terrifying creatures. She was surrounded.

It was in this moment that her panic stricken brain just  _ had _ to bring up every dangerous fact she had ever learned about crocodiles. Like the knowledge that their jaws could apply three thousand and seven hundred pounds of pressure per square inch, allowing them to bite through things like arms and legs with pretty much zero resistance. Or that they could swim up to twenty miles per hour and hold their breath for about an hour. They were also known for drowning prey by rapidly rolling around and around in the water.

And the ones in captivity were usually fed rodents.

Although she was certain that none of these Heartless had seen the inside of an inclosed compound, she didn’t doubt that they wouldn’t pass up on the taste of fresh mouse when it was presented to them.

Under ordinary circumstances she might have actually been able to fend them off. But being only three inches had its drawbacks, as Mr. Snoops had so kindly made her aware. Add in the whole weaponless detail and she was, in essence, screwed. The little mouse audibly gulped.

The Heartless submerged themselves and Emryn desperately attempted to keep her remaining brain cells from going full on ape shit in panic. This was probably a slightly more advanced, thought out version of an actual crocodile’s main form of attack, where they would lunge rapidly from the water to catch their prey. These guys were probably trying to lure her into a false sense of security before attacking. Unfortunately for them, Emryn hadn’t known even a real sense of security since she’d left earth. 

_ ‘This would be the part where the Jaws theme song would start playing.’ _

As if on cue, said theme began to loop in the back of her mind, making her heart beat faster. Em treaded water in a small circle, trying to figure out which reptile would leap at her first, or if they’d all stick with the synchronized swimming routine and attack at the same time. The swamp fell eerily quiet. Watching. Waiting.

The first attack came from the left. The Heartless shot out of the water surrounded in a terrifying spray of water, creating waves that threatened to completely capsize her. Emryn rolled away with one of those waves while the creature crashed into the water with an unusually loud snap of its jaw.

She felt the second one brush just beneath her hind paws. Blindly, she backpaddled away just as the next attack came. The same pattern continued in a similar manner, and much to Emryn’s alarm, not only was she growing exhausted, but they were all getting further and further away from the boathouse. The mouse panted, eyeing all three reptiles circling her.

Wait,  _ three?! _ Where was the―

Just as she realized one of the Heartless was missing, the currents changed, swelling up instead of around her. Emryn’s eyes grew large, looking down just as the fourth Heartless propelled upward, its dark maw wide open, and clamped its jaws shut around her.

Emryn floated up to the roof of its mouth and dug her claws in deep. Her head felt like it was about to split open from all the ringing that had flared up the moment the creature’s jaws had clamped shut on her death warrant. She clawed at the fleshy parts of the mouth, vainly attempting to keep herself from going down its gullet.

_ ‘A weapon! I need a weapon!’ _ she internally screamed, wishing for something sharp enough to shank a creature of darkness from the inside out. Hell, even a bludgeoning weapon would have been welcomed! Emryn didn’t want to die again, let alone have the cause be that she was  _ eaten. _ Save that kind of death for the horror movies!

The pain in her head suddenly ebbed, flowing down in to her chest, warming it so fiercely, so quickly, that she felt as if she were on fire. In a flash, something heavy sprouted from her chest and speared its way through the reptile’s mouth. Emryn jerked to a stop mere inches away from a black hole of no return. The creature opened its mouth, thrashing.

Emryn flew back into the world like a mouse out of hell.

“Aa― Aaa― Aaaaah! Someone get me off this  _ thiiIIINNGG!” _

Just like that, the thing that had been keeping her attached to the raging Heartless vanished. And now, instead of being given whiplash, she was flying freely. Right into a tree.

She smacked into solid wood face first, falling through several wispy branches. She finally came to a halt by landing on her back with a crack that would have been pretty impressive for her size,  _ if it hadn’t of hurt like one huge bitch of a son. _

Em gasped in such a way that would put a real fish out of water to shame, struggling to remain conscious while she was at it. Below, she heard the Heartless congregating. With a lot of effort, the mouse rolled onto her stomach and peered over the edge, huffing.

She was greeted with several loud snaps. The Heartless formed a semi-circle around the tree, opening and closing their mouths like wooden puppets. All together they sounded like those clacker toys. One of the reptiles inched up the base, but it’s body wasn’t really built for climbing, so it snapped its mouth a little faster in irritation. All of them were pretty fixated on her, but for how long they’d remain that way, she didn’t know. And if they lost interest in her, would they go back to the boathouse?

_ ‘I’ve gotta get rid of them somehow.’ _ Flipping onto her back again, Emryn couldn’t help but snort at herself.  _ ‘Who am I kidding? I’m not cut out for melee fighting― Especially not like this.’ _

She patted her chest, as if that would convince the chains she  _ knew _ were in there to reappear and make themselves useful. There was still a burning weight residing in her heart, but for the life of her, Emryn just couldn’t figure out how to make it come out again. Every time thus far had seemed more like a coincidence than anything. No matter how hard she tried, or how hard she thought about it, she just couldn’t connect with that energy. The divide simply continued to grow between her and her own power.

Emryn closed her eyes with a frustrated sigh. Her own power, huh? The sudden realization that she was magical was surreal. And it kept getting in the way of something that probably would have come naturally to her― If she had actually been born where magic was commonplace, that was.

“Please,” she whispered. “Please, just come out already.”

How did most people describe the ability to use magic? A lot of introspection, perhaps. And didn’t some people say that they thought of it as an extension of themselves? Like an extra limb or something? If she were to think of it like that, would it heed her call then?

It was worth a shot.

She took three slow, deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Emryn drowned out the angry snapping of the Heartless and focused on the beat of her own heart. It was a drum, beating in time to the steady flow of her breathing, of her blood. She imagined her heart, a forge that was alight with the wildest of flames, and in the center was her power, ready to be forged. 

Her hands became submerged in the fire, grabbing the hottest piece of all to make it solid. She molded it, pushed and pulled, stretched and rolled it, creating one link. And then another, and another, joining them together and feeding them through a small opening to deliver them outside of her body. Her chest grew heavier link by link.

“Ugh.” She grunted as the weight continued to grow. Metal clinked and jingled when she shifted uncomfortably. 

Her eyes shot open.

The mouse held her breath, not quite daring to breathe for fear that doing so would make the chains vanish. Gingerly, Emryn slid a paw beneath the pile and lifted them up. The chains were warm― almost scalding, really ―as if they really had been pulled from a fire. A faint red glow surrounded them.

_ ‘Holy shit― That actually worked?!’ _

She sat upright, letting the chains clatter against the bark. It was just one long chain. One end was still connected to her, while the other was spiked. Emryn wasn’t entirely sure how she was supposed to wield it, especially since it was still attached to her. Was she just supposed to throw it and hope it did damage? Or was there some sort of code word to get it flying on its own?

She stared intently at the chain, as if that would make it divulge its secrets. Strangely enough, she did get an impression from it.  _ ‘Pick a target and go.’ _ Realizing that was as good of an idea she was going to get, Emryn peered over the edge of the branch and observed the Heartless. She eyed the one that was still attempting to climb the tree, deciding that it’d probably be the best practice target. Twirling the chain like a lasso, Emryn built up speed and let it loose.

The chain seemed to come alive, partially, as if having just woken up to find that it had been assigned a new mission. It picked up speed, creating sparks in its wake, shooting down the length of the tree to spearhead the creature of darkness right through its emblem. In an audible puff of smoke, the Heartless vanished. The remaining reptiles repeatedly snapped at her as they backed away from the now dangling chain.

Euphoria, glorious and satisfying, budded within. She reeled the chain up and geared up to try again.

However, the moment she sent the chain flying, her target opened its mouth as wide as it could. Unable to stop or even maneuver the chain, it shot right through the Heartless and was trapped with a mighty clap as the jaws shut on it. The vibrations traveled up the chain and rocked her to her core. Emryn teetered dangerously towards the edge.

With a yank, the Heartless pulled the little mouse off her perch and sent her sailing in the direction of its two companions. Emryn squealed as she hurtled towards another open mouth and rolled, midair, out of the way. Unfortunately, what she landed on was not any friendlier than what she avoided. 

Bright eyes narrowed and she gulped. “Uh, how’s it going?”

It flipped its mouth open, tossing Em into the air, hissing.

“Well  _ sorry  _ for asking!”

The creature holding on to her chain yanked it again and this time she sailed towards it. Desperately, Em tried to summon another chain. For a brief moment her chest flared with an almost painful heat. Another chain protruded from it, but it barely exceeded the length of her arm. Her eyes bugged out of her head while she released a barely muffled scream. What was she supposed to do with  _ this?! _

She smacked into the creature’s nose, burying her smaller chain between its scales. 

_ ‘Oh no.’ _

Emryn ripped the chain out of the beast and started to slip and run. She leapt between its eyes while it reared its head, driving her spiked chain through the emblem. 

_ “Disappear already!” _ she snarled. Both chains reacted with a vengeance, the littler one burrowing deeper into the Heartless’ skull, while the larger shook so violently that it rattled Emryn through the creature. The Heartless hissed so loudly that it almost sounded like a scream. In a dark burst, Emryn was flung off the reptile’s back, choking on what smelled like smoke, but was… darkness?

She landed in the water face first. Pins and needles stabbed the entirety of her frontside and she almost inhaled the brackish water. Stunned, Emryn could only sink, watching and swearing as her chains dematerialized.

_ ‘Welcome to Destination Fucked! I’m your host Emryn Chae, and I’m currently about to get mauled by two overgrown lizards because my weapons decided to fuck on out of here without me! Stay tuned for screams of the damned and bloodshed, because shit’s about to get real.’ _

Quickly, the mouse swam back to the surface, determined to try and reach land before she got swallowed like a midnight snack again. She spun around the moment she broke through, disheveled, utterly exhausted, and completely out of ideas for what to do next. 

Squinting, Em managed to pinpoint the location of the remaining Heartless via two sets of glowing eyes. They hadn’t appeared to have moved from their original spots, which concerned her. What were they doing? Were they trying to wait her out? Were they just waiting for her to tire herself out and drown? Were they even going to attack again? When was she going to have to start paddling for her life?

After another beat, the two Heartless turned and swam away, long tails gracefully swishing back and forth behind them. Her mouth fell as a pair of portals opened, sucking the creatures into them. Flabbergasted, the mouse could do nothing but dumbly tread water for a full minute.

Was that it? Were they really gone? Did she, Emryn Chae, a three inch mouse, actually scare two creatures of literal Darkness off? These questions bounced around her head in a dizzying manner. 

_ ‘What am I doing?’ _ Emryn slapped herself.  _ ‘If they’re not attacking, then I’ve gotta get back to Penny!’ _

She searched for the boathouse, a deep frown forming as she realized how far away the Heartless had managed to drag her. Her body practically cried in protest once she spotted the sad excuse for a building, but with a determined grunt, the little mouse ignored her aching muscles and set forth on her next greatest obstacle. 

_ ‘When I get back on land, I’m asking the mirror for a goddamn refund.’ _

* * *

 

Heaving and shaking, Emryn finally pulled herself over the last hurdle on the gangplank. Every breath she took possessed a strange wheeze, sounding something of a mixture of a dying frog and a deflating balloon. She wanted nothing more than to collapse right where she stood and sleep for an eternity. But her stubbornness continued to exceed her exhaustion. Once she got to Penny, however, then she’d gladly pass out.

Wobbling, stumbling, damn near  _ crawling, _ the battle worn mouse trudged across the deck and towards a now darkened doorway. Large shadows were everywhere, and although she flinched a couple times here and there, hardly anything phased her. Not even when she passed a particularly lumpy shadow and it hissed at her. 

Instead, she stopped and hissed back at it. “Put a cork in it ya oversized handbag.”

That seemed to do the trick, but it wasn’t like she stuck around to make sure it stuck. Emryn marched towards where she thought the stairs were in a daze. She barely even noticed where her feet were taking her, only really grasping the fact that she was going up, because that’s where Penny’s room had been in the movies. 

It was only when she found herself in front of a closed door, with a faint glow casting dancing shadows coming from beneath it, that Emryn snapped out of her stupor. Noting that the door wasn’t entirely closed, she carefully pushed it open and slipped through the crack. 

Penny sat curled on her bed, her face buried in her teddy bear, sniffling. Her shoulders went slack and Emryn almost started crying herself. She had gone and turned herself into a beacon of hope for this little girl, and what did she do? Nearly get eaten and subsequently almost destroy what fragile faith she had managed to build up. Couldn’t she ever get anything right on the first try?

“Penny,” she croaked.

The little girl looked up with a start. She twisted and turned every which way, trying to find the source of the voice, before finally looking down. The moment she laid eyes on the waterlogged mouse, she burst into even more tears.

“T-Teddy and I were― We were so wo- _ worried!” _ sobbed Penny. Guilt clawed its way up Emryn’s throat, but she swallowed it down and tried to offer a crooked smile. It must not have looked very reassuring though, because now the child was hiccupping. She stumbled towards the bed, eyes and limbs growing heavier by the second. As much as she wanted to comfort the fretting child, her body had other ideas.

Penny hopped off her bed and hurried to scoop Emryn up. She wrapped the mouse in a handkerchief that had been discarded on the nightstand and cuddled her. Em wiggled around, grabbing some of the stiff fabric and used it to pat the girl’s cheeks dry, softly cooing to her. 

“There there, honey,” Em mumbled. “It’s okay. I’m sorry for scaring you like that. I’m alright now. It’s okay.”

Eventually, the child calmed down. She set Emryn on the musty pillow next to her bear, settling on her knees. She sniffled loudly and wiped her face with the back of her hand. Without saying anything else, the little girl folded her arms, closed her eyes, and began to pray.

“Dear Lord, thank you for keeping my friend Emryn safe. Please bless her, and Teddy, and the others that will be coming. And thank you for sending Emryn to me. Even though she’s a mouse, she’s the best blue bird ever. Amen.”

Emryn kept swallowing down the guilt while Penny crawled beneath the sheets. She swallowed, and swallowed, and swallowed, until she swallowed so much that it turned to stone in her throat. As sweet as Penny was for having said all that, she didn’t feel like she was worthy of such a praise. Not long after making all sorts of promises she had practically abandoned the girl. What kind of so called blue bird did that?

“G’nite Emryn,” Penny whispered with a yawn. 

“Goodnight sweetie.”

But while Penny fell into a peaceful sleep― and she wished her every happy dream imaginable ―Emryn could not follow suite. For no matter how exhausted she was, or how much she ached, she knew sleep would not come for her. Sweet dreams and restful bliss were not made for the guilty mind.

And so, as the evening deepened, Emryn turned towards a withdrawn vigilance. It was just her, her thoughts, and the shadows that lingered to greet the night now. And oh, what a familiar reunion it was.


End file.
